Finding Each Other
by Reese M
Summary: They didn't even know they were looking - as their lives continue following the breaking of the curse, Emma and Regina end up finding everything they ever wanted. Happiness, a home, a family, and neither of them saw it coming. Not only that but they end up finding so much more following Emma's trip to FTL, another missing piece to Regina's happy ending. - But they found each other.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I don't own anything Once Upon a Time. I'm just borrowing for my own entertainment and sharing that with others. This is a Swan Queen fic set during Season Two. Anything in_ italics _is a Fairytale Land flashback. I'm trying something new so the first few chapters are spilt up in three segments, FTL current time, FLT flashbacks, and Storybrooke current time. Let me know what you think :) And enjoy.

* * *

It was a rush of moments all clamored together, leaving them both breathless. Getting sucked into the hat's magical portal, waking up in what was left of Fairytale Land, waking up at the sharp end of a sword, being treated like villains by Aurora and Mulan, and carted around like prisoners with their hands bound, and then thrown into a holding pit. It was a lot for Snow to deal with so she knew Emma was feeling very overwhelmed. Who knew where things would have gone if not for Lancelot and her past with him. Mulan and Aurora both seemed hell bent on blaming them for the death of their prince, but he wouldn't let them. Lancelot told them who she was and she in turn explained who Emma was. Then he told her what had been going on, about being frozen in time and waking up not to long ago. She calculated it to Emma's arrival in Storybrooke and the weakening of the curse. He told her that everything except this part of the land was devastated, destroyed, and she knew she had to see it. Her friend was reluctant but agreed. He sent her and Emma off once again with Mulan and Aurora, who now seemed attached at the hip, with the promise that Mulan wouldn't be a threat. She would obey his orders to protect them rather then harm them, and she could explain things a little more along the way.

They moved through the far reaches of the Enchanted Forest towards what had once been the lands of Snow White and James, Cinderella and Thomas, and the Evil Queen. Emma was still feeling very disoriented and for the last several days she felt as if she were about three seconds from freaking the hell out! The only reason she hadn't was the threat of Mulan and all the uncertainty since waking up here. She and Mary Margaret, no, she and her mother Snow White were in Fairytale Land, walking through the Enchanted Forest with freaking Sleeping Beauty and Mulan! Who by the way did not find it funny when she asked when all the singing would start. Snow didn't look amused either. But Emma needed to joke around; she needed a way to process all of this. As if her life couldn't get more bizarre, it just kept showing her how wrong she was when she thought she'd finally gotten to the limit.

From behind the trees and dark vines that cluttered the landscape she watched the small group as they walked along the trail. She wondered if they had food. They seemed to be traveling light so they must not being going far, but they did have a horse with them so they might have supplies. Maybe if they stopped soon she could sneak in and grab something. Probably not though, the long raven-haired woman was wearing armor so she was clearly a guard of some sort. And the

blonde in the strange clothes looked alert in that way that said she could take care of herself in if she had too. The one with the short raven hair looked even more alert and ready to jump into a fray at a moments notice. The only one who didn't seem to fit was the royal blonde. Maybe if she were lucky she could get something from that one.

As the girl watched the group of women she wondered where they were going and who they were. Though she'd only been out here a few days, well sort of a few days she was still very confused about everything, she knew enough to realize not many people were left. She didn't know what had happened but she knew that whatever it was, it was bad, very bad. She wasn't use to being out here like this, she didn't know about moving quietly through the brush, so as she followed them she was making the leaves of the scrubs rustle and then she stepped on a twig.

The sound caught Mulan's attention first. She made the others stop, stepping over to where she'd heard the rustle of leaves to have a look rather then were she'd heard the snap of the twig. Emma not one to let others do what she was damn well capable of doing, namely protecting herself and Mary, moved to stand with her. Mulan used her sword to move some of the leaves and branches out of the way and then tightened her grip at the sudden yelp it caused.

"Stop!" Emma said as she shoved Mulan's arm, causing the warrior woman to withdraw her sword from the greenery. "There's someone hiding in there."

"Yes." The beautiful raven haired Asian woman said. "And now they know we know that."

While the two adults bickered the girl tried to scamper out of sight, only to be found by Snow. "Hello." Snow said softly as she looked down at the girl who'd just crawled out of the brush. "It's alright. We won't hurt you."

Wide brown eyes looked up from a dirty terrified face. The girl scampered to her feet and took several steps backwards away from Snow but then she stumbled and fell, landing in the forest debris with a thud and a softly yelp of pain.

"Careful." Snow said gently when she saw the girl flinch. "We're not going to harm you, honey. It's ok." She took a few cautious steps closer and smiled warmly at the child. "My name is Snow." She said as she crouched down, locking eyes with the child, and smiling. "What's yours?"

The girl simply shook her head. If she said her name they might know who she was, though she doubted it. No one knew her, not before and not now. She didn't exist outside her home. She'd spent her whole life sheltered from everything, hidden away, cared for but alone.

"No you don't have a name?" Snow asked with the same easy tone she used on her kids at school. "Or no you can't speak?"

"I can speak quite well thank you." The girl replied before clapping her hands over her mouth. How had the woman done that? With a simple smile and soft words she'd gotten her to say something when she'd had it set in her mind that she wouldn't.

"Then it's a name you don't have." Snow replied. The girl was around Henry's age give or take a year. She had long dark hair that had once been held back in a neat braid but had clearly been unattended for several days. She had big chocolate brown eyes that stared up at Snow with so much fear that it broke her heart. When the girl tried to scamper away again she heard the soft hiss of pain when she moved her ankle. "Lets have a look at that."

Emma moved closer to where her mother and the child were, she watched the tender way Snow was with the girl and was reminded yet again of what she'd missed out on. So why wasn't she more angry at Regina about all of this? Why was she stuck here in this weird place but all she could think about was Regina and wither she was safe, and about Henry and if he were all right. "Is she ok?" Emma said as she looked around for anyone else who might be hiding.

"Yes, she's alright." Snow said as she looked at the girl's ankle. "Just a bit of a sprain." She gave the girl another warm smile. "Can you stand?"

The girl nodded. "I think so."

Snow helped her and then smiled when the girl could put weight on her ankle. "See, just a bit of a pull. We're ok. Aren't we?"

Again the girl nodded. Then she stood there looking at the women, a slight tremble overcoming her small frame. She didn't know what to do. Run? Running would be best right? They might hurt her or do something bad to her or worse they might take her back.

"This is my daughter Emma." Snow told the girl gently.

Those big eyes went wide as she took the two women in. The girl titled her head in confusion and disbelief. How were these two mother and daughter? They were the same age!

Emma laughed. "It's complicated."

"Were you trapped too?" The girl asked, her curiously about what was going on getting the better of her.

"Kind of." Snow answered. "But not in the same way you were." When the girl's stomach growled Snow smiled again. "Lets see what we can find you to eat."

While the girl ate a portion of Snow's lunch the adults clustered together to talk. Mulan didn't think they should allow the girl to come along, but Snow wasn't having it. "I'm not going to leave a little girl out here alone on her own to face whatever dangers lurk in the darkness. She's coming with us so we can take her back to the camp where she'll be safe."

Mulan wanted to argue but Aurora agreed with Snow. "If she's separated from her family the camp will be the best place to for them to find each other again."

While Mulan and Snow argued Emma had been watching the girl. There was something familiar in her eyes. A particular look that kids get when they feel lost in the world. A look Emma had seen in her own eyes more times than she could count, a look she'd seen in Henry's eyes that night in her apartment in Boston.

"Then it's settled." Snow said in a tone of voice that made her daughter look at her oddly. Emma was use to the meekness of Mary Margaret, so the assuredness of Snow would take a little getting use to. "She'll come with us to the boarders and then back to the camp."

As they traveled the girl stuck close to Snow and Emma. Snow used what she knew from spending the last twenty-eight years as a teacher to get the girl to open up a little. She also used her knowledge of life here. The girl's dress was clearly something a child from a well off home would wear; it was almost noble in style and color. A girl like this would have a certain education she'd automatically fall back on. "You know, we've told you all our names but we don't know yours. It's rude of us to keep calling you the girl."

Big brown eyes looked up at Snow. She had a point, but she couldn't tell her her name. She thought about it for a moment. Maybe, maybe she could tell her the name that Nanny used, the one only the closest of her caretakers knew. "Lucy."

"It's very nice to meet you Lucy." Snow said with a warm and comforting smile.

"How'd you end up out here all alone?" Emma asked once Snow had the girl talking. "Did you get separated from your parents or something?"

"My parents are dead." Lucy said softly, a flicker of sadness and longing in her dark eyes. "My father was killed in service to the Queen." A small tug of a proud smile played at her kind of full lips, but just as quickly as it happened it was gone. Sorrow and guilt flooded her eyes next. "My mother, well that was my fault."

"Your fault?" Emma asked.

"She died in child birth." Lucy explained.

"Oh sweetheart." Snow said as she put her arm around the girl. "That wasn't your fault. That's just something that happens sometimes."

They walked a while, letting Lucy recover from their conversation before Emma pressed a little more. "Who's been taking care of you?"

Lucy looked up at the blonde and shrugged. "Servants." Who else took care of children? Even kids whose parents weren't dead were raised mainly by nannies weren't they?

Before they could get any further with Lucy, Mulan announced they were at their destination, a peak that over looked the land before them. Snow looked towards her kingdom, or what had once been her kingdom. It was absolutely devastated, rumble and ruins, and those black ominous vines as far as the eye could see. The gleaming crystal waters that could be seen even here on a clear day were blacken as if covered with a slick of oil. There was no sign of life other then the presence of ogres. The sight laid out before her brought tears to Snow's eyes and a strangled sob to her throat.

Reaching over Emma took her mother's hand as Snow grieved for the only home she'd ever known. "I'm sorry."

"She'll pay for this." Snow vowed. "I'll make her pay for this."

That made Emma feel really uncomfortable. Yes this was bad, it was very bad, but something inside told Emma that she wouldn't let anyone do anything to Regina, not even her mother. She just wished she could explain why she felt that way. Regina was a hateful bitch that dissevered everything she had coming to her. So why did some part of Emma just want to see Regina happy?

When Snow couldn't stand it any longer they headed back to the camp, the safe haven, that had been erected after the curse began to break. Survivors arrived almost every day, dazed, confused, and looking for answers as well as family and friends. Snow felt the pull to stay, to help, but she couldn't. She had to get back to Storybrooke, back to her people, her friends, and back to James. Emma needed to get back to Henry. They couldn't stay.

"We've packed you some provisions." Lancelot said as things were prepared for Snow and Emma. "I hope you find your way, Snow."

"Thank you." Snow replied as she hugged him.

As they were getting ready to leave Lucy came running up to them. She couldn't explain why but she felt safe with Snow and Emma. They'd shown her kindness and concern, and she couldn't stay here. If she stayed here she'd be found and she didn't want to be found. "I want to go with you."

"Lucy." Snow said softly. "Honey, you can't come with us. We're looking for a way to leave this land."

"I know." Lucy said, her eyes glittering with tears. "I want to go back there with you. Please."

"Your home is here, Lucy." Snow said gently.

Lucy shook her head. "It's not."

There'd been something about the girl that Emma had just felt drawn to. Something other then the look of loneliness and neglect she'd seen flickering in her eyes, or that look that said something she was scared of was chasing her, a foster kid look she'd know anywhere. There was just something about the kid. Maybe she reminded her of Henry. Whatever it was it made Emma said, "Alright kid. You can come."

Snow's eyes widen and she turned a disapproving glare on her daughter. "Emma we can't…"

"Who's to say that if she has family they aren't in Storybrooke?" Emma replied. "If she doesn't have somewhere here why make her stay?"

"We don't know for sure she doesn't have someone here." Snow said, dropping her voice so only Emma could hear her.

Emma looked at the girl and asked, "Do you have someone here you trust? Someone who loves you and will take care of you?"

Lucy shook her head. "No. Nanny was old she died before…" Before she ran before time stood still before the world went freaking nuts. "She just died."

Emma nodded and then turned back to Mary. "She's telling the truth. She'll just get lost in the chaos here." Emma argued.

Snow wasn't happy with this. " You thought Regina was telling the truth about the truce and what she really wanted was for you to eat her apple."

"Mary Margret."

"Emma." Snow said a little more sharply.

Emma glared. "Snow."

"Emma!"

"Mom!" Emma said firmly. "She's coming! She's coming."

Snow looked over at Lucy. She felt it too, that tug she couldn't explain, and then she sighed. "Fine. She can come."

As the three of them left the safe haven camp there was a smile on Lucy's lips. This was perfect. Leaving this land, going back to the kingdom Emma called Storybrooke, meant she'd never be found.

* * *

_She was tired and all she wanted to do was sleep but she was frightened and angry as well, and that fueled her desire to get out, to get away. She was just a kid how could she handle so much? She tried, everyday she tried, but it was never good enough, she was never good enough. So she waited, she waited until everyone in the house was sleep and then crept downstairs with nothing more then a small leather satchel with a few odds and ends. She was going to run away. She was going to go to the Queen's kingdom and hopefully find a place where she could just be a kid. No lessons, no pressure, no demands to be perfect. She would find a place where she was loved. Nanny had said so, before she died, she told Lucy she could find where she belonged in the Queen's kingdom._

_So Lucy slipped out into the night and began her slow walk away from the only home she'd ever known. She walked until she was sure she wouldn't turn around and go running back. Then she turned and looked at the house, giving it and the people inside a little wave. The sadness she felt over leaving took her by surprise and she could feel the urge to run home building up in her belly. She could go home and no one would be the wiser about her plan, but she knew better. She would know, she always knew, and Lucy would be punished and things would just be harder. No, this was best. She would run and find a place where she would never be found. _

_Maybe, she thought as she forced herself to take each step further away from her home, maybe when I'm bigger, stronger, grown up I'll come back. I'll show her that I am everything she wants me to me and she'll be proud of me, and maybe she might even say she loves me. _

_As Lucy continued to walk she started to feel more and more frightened. Was she being followed? Ducking into the brush she laid down on her stomach to hide. If she caught her she would be in so much trouble! Her skin prickled in that funny and familiar way that made Lucy looked around in a near panic. She knew magic when she felt it. This felt different though, not the magic she was use to, it was darker, scarier, and yet maybe a little familiar. A hazy mist of magic rolled over the kingdom, Lucy gasped, and then everything stopped. For a very long time that felt just like a moment, everything stopped._

* * *

"How do I find her?" Regina said to her empty study as she bit her thumbnail and paced. Henry had said he didn't want anything to do with her until she proved her love by finding Emma, so how did she find Emma? Jefferson's hat was trashed thanks to that clumsy oaf of a prince and without that hat how was she suppose to create a magical portal to bring them back? Even if she had the hat her magic was spotty at best. It had been nonexistence until… Emma. Emma had touched her and her magic flared back to life. There was no way for Regina to ignore that. Nor was it easy to ignore the fact that Emma had been pulled into the hat saving her, again. Over and over Emma had come to her defense since the curse broke. Why?

"What is she playing at?" Regina wondered as she finally stopped pacing once she stood in front of her window. "Why would she do that?"

If Regina would allow herself to see it, she would know the truth, but Regina wore blinders for a reason. She hadn't known just how much she loved Henry, how he had gathered up the shatters of her heart and put them back together until she'd lost him, until she'd seen him die. But even though the pieces had been put back together her heart was far from mended so when Henry died, when he went off with Emma, with Charming, those pieces didn't have anything holding them in place so they came crumbling down, shattering into even smaller pieces.

"I should just leave them there." Regina said to herself. "They're finally out of my hair. I'll just take Henry back and remind everyone why they feared me."

A life without Snow White, without Emma Swan, it was perfect, it's what she wanted. Wasn't it? She wondered if Emma were all right, if she were safe, or hurt, or worse. Something inside didn't like the idea of the or worse because she felt a stabbing pain that made her gasp softly. No, no, she would not allow this. Tearing away from the window Regina made her way through her home and out the back door. She walked with purpose and grace to her apple tree, knelt down with a spade in her hand, and began to dig. Buried safely beneath her tree was just want she needed. A wicked smile tugged at Regina's lips as she pulled the old book from the safe box and oilskin she'd had it tucked into to keep it safe from the elements. "Now, about my son."


	2. Chapter 2

*The idea for Lucy is dedicated to A Swan and Her Queen

* * *

It was all very strange and new even to Snow. These were not her lands so she knew very little about them. She didn't know the dangers that lurked behind the trees, or where things like water or shelter could be found, and that put her on edge. She could survive on her own out here, she'd done it before, but this time she wasn't alone. As she, Emma and Lucy walked the trail that would take them once more the boarders she thought about everything that had lead them to this moment. All the hurt, all the hate, that had driven not only Regina, but herself as well, to do the things they did. Her desperate need for a mother. Regina's broken heart. The murder of her father at the end of what might as well have been a prison sentence for Regina. Pain, hurt, suffering, and all the 'you ruined me so I'll ruin you' just led them all to ruins!

Snow frowned deeply. Why was she feeling sympathy for Regina? Yes, she made mistakes, but Regina's the one who took everything to a whole new level. Regina's the one who went after everyone and everything that mattered to her. Her kingdom, her people, her friends, her husband, her daughter, hell Regina even took her hair! Snow reached up and raked the tips of her fingers though her short pixie cut hair and huffed softly. They should have let that thing take Regina's soul. But, there was Henry to think about, and she supposed there was Emma too. Emma's voice caught her attention and Snow turned to see her daughter speaking to Lucy about Storybrooke. Emma. Emma was the reason why Snow was thinking the way she was. Yes, that was it. It was in no part because somewhere deep down inside a part of Snow still cared about Regina. It was Emma. She'd seen the way Emma had reacted when it came to Regina. The way Emma repeatedly went to Regina, saving her, protecting her. Snow sighed. How much of that was Emma's promise to Henry and how much of it was something more? Wouldn't that be a sick twist of fate?

Emma said something to make Lucy laugh and it made Snow smile. Emma had changed so much since her arrival in Storybrooke. Henry scared the living daylights out of Emma, and she didn't fair much better around the kids in Mary Margret's class either. Now she seemed to be a natural with children, or at least she was with Lucy. Snow had been a teacher long enough to see a shadow of what her daughter had seen in the lost girl, so maybe it wasn't such a surprise the two seemed to be bonding rather quickly. She was about to ask what was so funny when a chorus of loud roars echoed in the distance. The sound sent a chill up Snow's spine just the way it use to.

Emma stopped walking, reached for Lucy, and pulled the girl close. "What was that?"

Snow and Lucy both listened carefully and said in unison. "Ogres."

Emma's eyes went wide. "Ogres?! You mean like Shrek right?"

"Who's Shrek?" Lucy asked as she looked between her two new friends. She knew now that Snow was of this land. She even knew the stories about her. Though the stories Nanny told were a lot friendlier when it came to the Evil Queen, the old woman would often say that there were darker forces working, turning and twisting the Queen. She still sounded like a pretty scary person to Lucy though. As easy as it was to figure out that Snow belonged here, it was even easier to figure out that Emma didn't. She was so very clearly not from this land a blind witch could see it.

"No, Emma, not like Shrek. We need to find a place to hide." Snow said as the groaned began to rumble as the ogres came closer. "Run!"

They managed to find a shallow cave tucked out of sight. It didn't seem to be near anything an ogre would find useful so it appeared a safe place until they could get to the estate that Aurora said was on the boarder. "It use to be an old mill." Aurora had said while looking over the maps with Snow. "The daughter married well and had the mill torn down, building a stately home on the land instead. After the miller's death it stayed empty for a while but I think someone was living it before I feel into my sleep, but I'm not sure. The estate is on your side of the boarder." Snow thought if they could make it to the old house they could rest and maybe gather up supplies while she talked to Emma about a plan.

"First a dragon and now ogres what next." Emma said with a shudder as she sat on a rock while catching her breath.

"Trolls." Lucy answered as if Emma had asked a real question instead of a sarcastic one. "Giants. Imps. Oh! Nanny said there was a Cyclops causing trouble a few kingdoms to the south. And there's always the billy goats, never trust a billy goat."

Emma shot the girl a gentle glare. "Not helping kid."

Lucy blushed but she was smirking as she said, "Sorry."

Snow clucked softly. "We'll camp here for the night and get started again early. Hopefully the ogres haven't overtaken the estate we're going to. It shouldn't be to much further. It's right over the border."

That caused Lucy to stiffen and squeak out, "What? Where are we going?"

"Aurora told me about this place just over the boarder." Snow explained. "I was hoping we could…"

Lucy shook her head as she jumped to her feet. The girl looked a like scared rabbit ready to bolt. "We're near the Miller's Estate?"

Snow nodded. "Half a day's walk. Why?"

Lucy didn't answer. She'd rather take her chance with the ogres than what, who, awaited them at the estate. She grabbed her little leather satchel and bolted for the opening of the cave but Emma was quicker and managed to grab her around the waist. "No! No! Let me go! I can't go back there! No!"

"Lucy." Emma said gently but firmly. "Kid, you can't go out there! You'll get eaten or squished or something!"

There were tears in Lucy's eyes as Emma made her turn around and look at her. "Please Emma, please don't make me go there!"

"Why?" Emma asked. "What's there that you're so scared of?"

Their voices had carried, drawing the attention of the occupant in the Fairytale Land version of a panic room hidden in the recesses of the cave. Voices she knew, one she hadn't heard in a very, very long time. Stepping out of the darkness she smiled. "Well, now there's a face I haven't seen in a long time."

The voice sent chills through Snow. She hadn't heard it since her childhood but she knew it well. She turned from Lucy and Emma slowly and as soon as she laid eyes on her Snow stepped protectively in front of them. "Cora."

"Hello Snow." Cora said with a smile. "It's good to see you my dear."

"I thought…" Snow said. She was clearly shaken by the woman's appearance, but that didn't keep her from thinking that she needed to protect Emma and Lucy from her. Cora had powerful magic and Snow suddenly wished they'd taken their chances with the ogres.

"I was dead?" Cora chuckled, cutting Snow off. "No, simply banished. Sent out here to nowhere to live out my life were it started."

Snow would have smacked herself in the forehead if she weren't using her arms to block Emma. Old mill, miller's daughter rebuilds it, Miller's Estate, how could it not be Cora's home?

Behind Emma, Lucy was quivering as she tried to hide, using the blonde as a shield. She'd recognized the voice as well. Her own voice, shaking with fear, whispered, "No. No. No." Over and over again as she tried to press herself further into Emma, making herself as small and unnoticeable as possible.

"And this?" Cora said as she eyed the blonde Snow was protecting. "Could this be her? The child you carried before our world was torn apart? The one rumored to put an end to the curse? Is this our savior?"

Snow's body stiffened as if ready to fight. "Stay away from her, Cora."

"Who is she?" Emma asked Snow. Who could, aside from Regina, cause her mother to react like this? Snow was a little more then a caged tigress ready to pounce. Actually this was far worse than any reaction Regina could pull from Snow. Her mind raced as she tried to think of every fairytale villain she could. Which one would scare Snow and Lucy so badly?

"The only woman worse then Regina." Snow answered. "Regina's mother."

Emma's eyes went wide and she just barely kept her jaw from dropping. She did not see that coming.

"Oh Snow." Cora said with a pained look on her face. "My dear child you wound me with such words and contempt."

"Yeah, well, lady stick it up your…" Snow was cut off by Cora's magic as she suddenly moved her and Emma out of the way. When Cora had said dear child there was s soft, frightened, whimper from somewhere behind Emma. Snow watched as Cora looked at the girl and for a flicker of a moment she saw what looked like relief before it was quickly washed away by anger and disappointment.

"I have been looking everywhere for you Cordelia." Cora scolded as she wrapped her magic around the child. "I've combed this forest for days trying to find you."

"I'm sorry." Lucy pleaded as she felt her feet leave the ground. Her struggle was involuntary, simply her body's natural reaction to suddenly being airborne, Lucy knew better then to put up a real struggle.

Cora shook her head as she pulled the child towards her. "I'm very disappointed in your Cordelia."

"Grandmother, please." Lucy whimpered. "I'll be good!"

Grandmother!? Snow was in shock. Her already big doe eyes were almost comically huge as she stared at Cora and the magically entrapped, absolutely petrified little girl.

Emma on the other hand was already moving. Picking up a stone she threw it at the old woman, hiding her in the head, breaking her concentration, which forced her to drop Lucy. Emma rushed to the girl, gathering her up in her arms, and moving back over to Snow. "Might want to grab your bow." She told her mother. "Pretty sure she's gonna be pissed."

"Snow." Cora said coldly. "Really, haven't you taught your daughter better than that?" There was a small rivulet of blood making its way down the side of Cora's face from where the rock had hit her. "Cordelia, come here!"

Lucy just shook her head, her eyes wide and glassy from tears. She felt herself being wrapped in magic again and she whimpered.

"Let her go!" Emma demanded, as she held on tight.

"Really dear." Cora said calmly. "Do stay out of matters that are none of your concern."

Snow finally came to her senses and put herself between Cora, Emma and Lucy. "Leave her alone, Cora! She's terrified of you!"

"Good parenting comes with a healthy dose of fear, Snow." Cora said in that overly sweet way she had. "Now, if you would please ask your daughter to let go of my granddaughter."

"Granddaughter?" So she had heard that right the first time. The reality of it hit Snow hard, knocking the breath from her. Regina's child? How is that even possible? And if she is than who was… "Is she…?"

"No dear." Cora answered. "Of course not. If she were the King's child I wouldn't have had to hide her."

Snow gasped. Her heart aching once again for Regina, for Daniel, and what they'd lost because of her. Apparently they'd lost a lot more then Snow could have ever realized. "Daniel's."

Disgust washed over Cora's face at the mention of his name. "Yes."

Snow began to shake her head as she tried to work this all out. "No, no, not even Regina would abandon her own child, not Daniel's child."

"Which is why my darling Regina thinks the child is dead." Cora replied.

The intensity of this woman's coldness, her deep seeded evil, was staggering and it made Snow's head spin. "Why? Why would you hurt your own daughter that way?"

"So Regina would have her happy ending." Cora answered as if that justified everything she had ever done. "Everything I ever did I did for her."

"No." Snow replied. "No you did it for you."

Several long moments passed as Snow and Cora stared each other down. All this time, all that evil, it hadn't originated with Regina it had originated with Cora. She destroyed lives, she attacked happiness, and killed love, and for what? Power? Wealth? Prestige? Snow had been on the fence about bringing Lucy along. She'd been concerned about taking the girl from her world, possibly a family who would miss her, but now, now there was no way in hell Snow was leaving the girl behind. "Emma, get Lucy out of here."

Emma had been trying but Cora had a magical hold on the girl. "I'm trying! Man do I hate magic."

"You don't really think I'm going to let you just walk off with my own flesh and blood do you?" Cora asked. "She's my chance to start again, to get back everything Regina took from me, I won't loose that. With Regina gone Cordelia will take her place, it's her birth right, to be Queen!"

Lucy watched in horror as her grandmother tossed her friends around like ragdolls before once again pulling her towards her with magic. Lucy struggled for real this time and Cora scolded her for it, tightening the magic grip she had on her to the point where Lucy couldn't breath. Snow and Emma tried again to free her but Cora flicked her hand and sent them flying. "No!" Lucy cried out. "No! I won't let you hurt them!"

It bubbled warm in her tummy and then spread through her body making her tingle all over as if every inch of her had fallen asleep like a foot. She knew what it was; her grandmother had been teaching her before she ran off. Hours and hours of forcing her to find her magic, harsh words, and scolding thumps, but Lucy hadn't been able to do more than inch a chair back or lift a brush. The burst she felt now wasn't just a tickle or tingle conjured up from fear, it was warm and prickling and a rather pretty shade of silvery blue.

Cora went flying, smacking into a wall and falling to the floor in a slump. Lucy lowered herself to the ground, her body spent; she was on the verge of passing out. Her knees gave way and as she went down she called out a soft, "Emma."

Emma shuffled to her feet and dashed for the girl, catching her just before Lucy's head could hit the ground. Looking at Lucy, then over to Cora, Emma didn't really understand what had just happened. She did however know they needed to get out of there and fast. Snow gathered their things while Emma carried Lucy. She looked down at the girl as she thought about what Snow and Cora had been saying. Could this really be Regina's daughter?

"Hurry." Snow said as they moved as quickly as they could with their burdens. "We'll be safe in the forest. She's manipulative, and magical, but I doubt she's very outdoorsy."

They went as far as they could away from the sound of ogres and away from the cave, and then went a little further. Snow found them another place to hide for the night. Emma laid out the bedroll from her pack and put Lucy on it, covering the girl with her jacket, while Snow made a small fire. When they were finally sitting side by side staring at the child across from them Emma finally asked, "What the hell was that about?"

Snow thought back, dredging up old memories she'd never wanted to think about again. When she came to the one she'd been trying to remember she sighed softly, her voice dropping to that gentle whisper that meant she was sad for someone she loved. "Not long after Regina and my Father married she took ill. Cora took her away to recover. She was gone for quite awhile. At first we could visit but then Cora said it would be best if we didn't. When Regina came back to the castle she was weak, sad, broken, but I didn't understand that then. I just thought she was still feeling poorly."

Anger lit up Emma's eyes. She'd had some pretty bad foster homes as a kid, but none of those paid-parents came close to being as bad as Cora. No wonder Regina was the way she was. When she first arrived in Storybrooke, following her first really brash encounter with Regina, she'd asked the woman how she'd ended up the way she was. Guess she knew the answer to that now. Regina had had the magical mother from hell.

* * *

_She'd tried to run once before, just before the wedding, but her mother had stopped her. She'd felt so helpless, so hopeless, that she let her mother take her back and she married the King. Daniel, her beloved Daniel was dead, nothing else mattered so she'd given in, given up. But now, now things were different. She had a reason to hope again, a reason to run, a reason to get away and make a life, a second chance at being happy. Regina was pregnant and she knew without any doubt that the baby she carried was Daniel's. She had been with the King once, their wedding night, and by then she was already carrying her child. She had to get out now, not just for herself, but also for her child. The King had been fooled regarding her virginity but it would be harder to fool him into thinking a child born far to soon could be his. Even if she could fool the King, the thought of lying to the child, letting it think someone else was their father, someone other than Daniel, hurt Regina deeply. _

_She also had to run because if her mother found out, oh if her mother found out, Regina choked back a sob. Cora would surly kill the child; perhaps even before it had a chance to live. So Regina packed a small bag and waited for her moment. Her mother had been teaching her magic, turns out Regina was a natural with the potential to be far greater then Cora ever could be, so she used what she knew. Walking around the lake with four of the King's guards as protection Regina's heart pounded in her chest. She took a moment, closing her eyes and taking a breath, and then as she opened her eyes, she opened her hands, spreading her fingers wide. The guards never saw the gesture, all they saw were the vines that suddenly attacked them. _

"_Protect the Queen!" _

_Sure if the Queen had wanted to be protected. The guards were swallowed up by the vines and in the chaos Regina ran. Her magic had grown, and so had her determination, so Cora's entrapment spell was easy to get past. She grabbed the small bag she'd hidden and made it to the harbor; she bought passage on a ship, she even paying extra for the protection of its Captain. She was so close to escaping that she could taste it. _

_Standing at the railing of the ship Regina looked out over the sea, letting herself think about her future. She would find another kingdom where no one knew her, settle into a small home and raise her child, Daniel's child, with love, and kindness. _

"_Really Regina." Cora said with disgust. _

_Regina turned with utter shock and fear. "Mother." _

_Cora stood on the deck of the ship beside the Captain, Hook, who she handed a huge bag of gold too. "Did you really think this would work? Did you really think the Queen would be able to just sneak off in the night? Really girl you can be so stupid sometimes." _

"_Mama please." Regina begged. Her eyes were full of tears and what couldn't be held back rolled down her cheeks. "I have to go! I need to go!" _

"_Why?" Cora asked. "Because of the illness you've contracted? Don't be silly child. Mother will take care of that."_

_Her knees went weak and Regina crumbled. How did she know? How could she know? "No! Mother no! Please!"_

"_Lets get you home dear." Cora said as two of her personal guards lifted Regina from the deck and carried off. "You're going to need lots of rest and what better place to do that then the country side." _

* * *

She'd become her mother. She had used magic to force Henry to be where he didn't want to be. She'd even used the same spells against him that Cora had used against her. Regina felt as if she were going to be sick, again. After closing the door behind Henry and Charming Regina had rushed to the bathroom, making it just in time to vomit into the toilet. She had to make this right; she had to make things between her and Henry right. But how was she going to do that? Portal magic was beyond anything she knew.

Heading upstairs Regina walked past Henry's room. She stopped in the doorway to look in. Her heart ached. She'd had something so special and she let it slip through her fingers. She couldn't protect Henry any more then she could protect… No, no she couldn't, wouldn't, let that memory surface. She kept that memory tucked away safe and sound, deep down in what was left of her soul. Turning to leave the room Regina caught sight of Henry's book. Walking over she picked it up and ran her hand over the cover. Odd, she thought. Henry never left this book behind. Taking it down the hall to her room Regina sat on her bed and began flipping through it, taking the time to actually read it this time.

Regina stayed up all night reading Henry's book. The sun had been up for hours when she took her eyes from the old yet vibrantly colored pages. The stories mixed with her memories and after several long minutes of simply staring into space she gasped. "Maybe." She whispered as an idea began to bubble in her mind. "Maybe." She said again before jumping from her bed and heading into the bathroom to shower.

Feeling a bit better after her shower and something to eat Regina carried Henry's book into her study and then grabbed the spell book from her cabinet. Sitting at her desk she began going through them. Opening Henry's book, she turned to the page with the big bold picture of Emma as a baby. She let her fingers gently caress the image while her mind drifted to the very adult Emma. She'd told Henry she wanted to redeem herself and she meant that. Once upon a time she swore she would never be like her mother. She ended up worse. But unlike her mother there was still something inside of Regina that was good, a small flicker of light gasping for oxygen to survive.


	3. Chapter 3

After using that much magic in one go and as young as she was, it was hard to tell how long Lucy would sleep, but they didn't have the luxury of letting her. As soon as there was light in the sky Emma was kneeling beside the girl. She took a moment to really look at her. She wasn't looking at the obvious, her dark hair, or the chocolate color of her eyes when they were open. She was looking at the more subtle things in the girl's face that might remind her of Regina. The shape of her eyes, the plump of her lips, her nose, and the shading of her skin, but more than that there was the way she expressed herself with her eyebrows and the ticks of her lips. Had that been way Emma felt so drawn to the girl? Why she had felt the urge to protect her? Emma sighed softly. She wasn't sure. She wasn't sure about a lot of things lately. Hell she was still trying to work out why she'd been trying so hard to save Regina, because she knew deep down somewhere that it hadn't been solely because Henry had asked her too.

"You need to wake her." Snow said gently. "We have to get moving."

Emma nodded and then gently shook Lucy's shoulder. "Hey kid, you gotta wake up. We can't stay here much longer."

Lucy moaned and tried to curl up into a tighter ball while burrowing into Emma's jacket. It took a good five minutes of Emma prodding her to finally make her sit up and look around in confusion. As the last wisps of sleep let her go Lucy remembered what happened and her eyes went wide in panic.

"It's ok, kid." Emma reassured when she saw the look wash over Lucy's features. It was the same look Regina had when that thing attacked her in the cell. Both looks made Emma's heart hurt. "You're ok."

The girl took the two women in with shock and awe, her dark eyes darting between them. "You didn't give me back to her?"

"I wouldn't leave a rat in Cora's care." Snow said with a soft snort.

Emma gave Lucy a warm, crooked smile as she helped her to her feet. "You feeling ok?"

"A little weak." Lucy admitted. "I don't usually do magic. I'm no good at it and I don't like it."

"We're going to need you to do your best Cordelia." Snow said gently but firmly. "I'm sure Cora's awake by now and looking for us. We need to stay a head of her."

"Please don't call me that." Lucy said softly before dropping her gaze.

"It's your real name isn't it?" Snow asked as she walked over and lifted the girl's chin up.

Lucy nodded but explained, "I like Lucy better. That's what Nanny calls me." She stopped, sadness flooding her eyes. "Called me. That's what Nanny called me when Grandmother wasn't around." She didn't know why they called her a different name, Nanny just always had, and it felt more right to her than the name her grandmother gave her. "Some of the others too."

Snow smiled softly and gave the girl a nod. "Lucy it is. I have two names too. So I understand."

"Emma calls you Mary Margaret." Lucy commented as they gathered their things. Everyone else here called her Snow but Emma, her daughter, called her Mary Margaret. What an odd pair this mother and daughter was, and yet Lucy couldn't help but feel a bit jealous.

Snow nodded. "That's the name I used in the other land."

"Can I just be Lucy in the other land?" Lucy asked.

Emma smiled as she handed the girl some breakfast that she could eat while they walked. "I like Lucy so much better anyway. We have some pretty cool people named Lucy where we're from."

As they continued towards the boarder Snow listened as Emma told Lucy about Lucille Ball, and Lucy Lawless and Lucy Van Pelt. She smiled softly when Lucy asked what a cartoon was, and then groaned when Emma began telling her about animated princesses.

Snow had spent the better part of her adult like thinking she knew Regina, that yes as a child she had accidently caused the woman unhappiness, but that the horrible and extreme things Regina had done in retaliation were just her being her naturally evil self. Now she was beginning to see that the real Regina had been the young woman who'd saved her from that wild horse, and that that beautiful girl had been shattered and twisted into something unrecognizable. Cora had murdered Daniel, she'd ripped his heart from his chest while Regina watched, and now come to find out she'd torn their child from Regina's arms and told her that the baby died. It would seem she and Regina were more a like than Snow wanted to admit. How many dark thoughts had she had since waking up to find her baby was now grown? How angry had she been each time Charming was taken from her? What would have happened if her pain at seeing Charming near death just before the curse had been left to fester and twist? Snow groaned.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked softly so only Snow heard.

"I'm feeling sorry for Regina." Snow replied honestly. "And really all I should feel is anger."

"Yeah." Emma replied, turning from her mother to hide her expression. "She's awfully damn hard to hate even when you should. She's done some unforgiveable things"

"And yet you'd be willing to forgive her?" Snow asked.

Emma shrugged. "I'm not really sure."

When they got to the boarder darkness stretched out before them. The Enchanted Forest was dead, black and straggled with vines. The three of them stood there looking into what felt like a void. "So, we're going in there?" Emma asked.

"I don't know where else to go." Snow answered. "If we're going to find a way home it'll be in there."

"Right." Emma said as she wished for the billionth time to wake up from this nightmare.

"What happened to it?" Lucy asked with wide eyes while clinging tightly to Emma's hand.

Snow and Emma shared a look. Lucy hadn't brought up anything about Snow and Cora's conversation, so either she hadn't heard them talking or she was ignoring what she had heard. They didn't what to bring it up because neither of them knew how to explain, "I think you're mother's alive and she's the evil queen."

Finally Snow looked at Lucy and said, "The curse."

"It's ok to be scared." Emma said as she looked down at the girl.

Lucy looked up and nodded. Then she fished around in her satchel and pulled out a faded blue hair ribbon. She wrapped the ribbon around her wrist and smiled. "Ok, I'm ready now."

"What's that?" Snow asked gently.

"It was my mother's." Lucy said softly. "Nanny gave it to me." She blushed. "It, well, it helps me not be afraid." She shoved her hand into her bag again and pulled out one small hand kit bootie with little yellow ribbon in it. "These are all I have of her."

* * *

_Regina was more than surprised when her mother didn't brew up some awful potion that would make her loose her baby and force her to drink it. They returned to the castle but only long enough to see some poor sailors sacrificed by Hook for more gold, punished for trying to kidnap and ransom the new Queen. Shortly after that Regina, who was so terribly traumatized by the ordeal, had fallen ill. Or so went the story Cora told everyone. Regina was taken away from the castle; to the home her mother had built over her grandfather's mill, where she was allowed to carry her child to term. It was amazing and wonderful to feel the precious new life growing inside of her. It healed her heart to know that at least a part of Daniel was still alive. _

_For the most part Cora left Regina alone. Whither she was revolted or disappointed or just didn't care, it didn't matter to Regina. For those blissful months she was allowed to be happy. She talked to the baby, sang to it, and imagined a wonderful life for it full of unconditional love. _

_Labor started in the middle of the night. Regina woke up in a panic as the pain of contractions ripped through her body. She cried out for Nanny, who Cora had rehired to tend to Regina while she was in this state because Cora knew she could trust the woman. Nanny came running and quickly sent for the midwife. Hours passed, Regina was alone except for the midwife and Nanny. Cora was in the house, she knew what was going on, but she stayed away. The afternoon sun was dropping from its peak when Regina hit the last stretch of the ordeal. Her primal cries of pain as she delivered her child echoed throughout the house, followed soon after by the joyous cries of a new life. _

_Tears of joy rolled down Regina's cheeks as she held her daughter in her arms. "Lucy." She whispered softly. "My little light." _

_The midwife had gone to tell Cora the news and when she returned she carried a freshly brewed cup of tea, which she encouraged Regina to drink. Only after Regina was knocked out from the tea did Cora enter the room. She took the infant from Regina's side, where Nanny had helped Regina place her, and cradled her in her arms. She should kill it, should have killed it at the start, but Cora couldn't bring herself to do it. Especially now as she looked at her and saw Regina, she even had a head of dark hair the way Regina had. Looking up Cora called Nanny over and passed her the baby. "Take her to the old stone house and keep her there until we've gone. I will make arguments for her care." _

"_Yes m'lady." Nanny replied before turning to leave the room. _

_When Regina woke up panic filled her heart when she found her mother rather than her daughter with her. Cora's eyes were red, her cheeks tear streaked. Regina searched the room with her eyes, felt around the bed in a panic, looking for her child. "Mother? Mother where's my baby? Where's my daughter?" _

"_I'm so sorry, Regina." Cora said, her voice cracking with tears. "She didn't make it through the night. It happens darling. Sometimes the lungs or the heart, just aren't strong enough. I'm so sorry my darling, but she's gone." _

"_No!" Regina howled. "No! Mama no! I want my baby! Mama please! I want her! I want my baby! Please!"_

"_I'm sorry Regina." Cora repeated as she pulled Regina into a hug. _

_Numbness. That's all Regina felt as Nanny and a footman helped her into the carriage. She hadn't spoken a word since they buried the very tiny little coffin next to her grandparents. She couldn't say anything, there were no words, no feelings, just numbness and darkness and the cold. As Nanny pulled away from her she took Regina's hand and pressed something into it. When Regina opened her hand she found a single hand knit bootie with a yellow ribbon. They hadn't known she would be a girl so Nanny had used yellow. Regina clutched that little bootie to her chest. Daniel was gone. Their child was gone. Everything, everyone she loved, dead. And it was all Snow White's fault. _

* * *

"You have been nothing but trouble since I pulled you off that damn horse!" Regina growled as she glared at the illustration of Snow in Henry's book. "You just had to go and have a daughter as noble and charming as you and that damn farm boy prince of yours, didn't you? If it were just you I'd leave you there to rot, but it isn't just you. Why did she have to be so damn gallant?"

Regina huffed as she drummed her fingers on the page of Henry's book while turning her focus on her magic book. She was hoping to find something, anything that would help her figure out a way to bring Snow and Emma back. Her growing frustration was made worse by the fact that she couldn't explain to herself why she was so damn focused on Emma. It had been days since the portal took Emma and Snow and Regina was starting to realize that she missed Emma. She missed running into her, she missed being annoyed by her, and she missed the odd sense of something she couldn't explain the blonde seemed to give her.

She could blame Henry, but these feelings about Emma had nothing to do with Henry, and that's what bothered her most. She was having feelings about Emma other then hate, or anger, or contempt, or annoyance. These were good feelings and Regina wasn't use to good feelings. Emma had saved her more then once the day the curse broke. She stopped the angry mob, she stopped Whale, and she stopped the wraith from killing her in the cell. Well, no that last one was Snow, but Emma came rushing to her side as soon as Snow hurt the thing. Then to top it all off not only did Emma push her out of the way of the wraith and clear of the portal, Emma's touch had brought Regina's magic back. She still wasn't ready to deal with that and might never be ready to deal with that.

"What are you doing?" Henry asked from the doorway of Regina's study.

Regina was more then surprised to see him and she couldn't help the smile on her lips. "Henry? What are you doing here?"

Henry didn't answer, he just walked in and over to the desk. His book was there, open to the illustration of Snow and Charming facing each other through mirrors. When he noticed a yellow sticky note he flipped to that page, which held the second Alice story, the looking glass story. Then Henry noticed his mother's book. His eyes went wide as he looked up at his mom. "You're trying to find them, to bring them back."

It was a statement rather then a question and the firmness of it caught Regina off guard, as did the joy in his voice. She couldn't think of a snide reply so what came out of her mouth was, "You asked me too, Henry, so of course I am. I meant what I said. I want to redeem myself."

Henry smiled up at her, his eyes bright and hopeful. "How are you going to do it? How are you going to find them and bring them back without risking the dementor coming back for you?"

"Henry." Regina said with a roll of her eyes. "That wasn't a dementor, those aren't real."

"Looked and acted like one." The boy said as he reached for his mother's marked hand. He ran his fingers over the mark and then looked up at Regina. He didn't want to loose her. She was his mom. It scared him to think that something bad could happen to her and she'd be gone from his life. "So what's the plan? Something with mirrors?"

"I'm still working things out." Regina said honestly. "And I think I'm going to need your help."

"Anything." Henry said as he threw his arms around Regina, startling her with the hug. "If anyone can bring them back it's you."

In the second story of Alice she used a mirror to get to Wonderland. Regina often used mirrors to watch and spy from her castle. But the two kinds of magic were different and she needed a better understanding of how a mirror as a dimension worked. She couldn't talk to Jefferson, he was being a bit of a brat over the whole reneging on their deal about Grace thing, and she kind of wanted to do this on her own. So that left one other person who might be able to help her.

Whale had let all the cuckoos out of their nests in the basement of the hospital but luckily Regina knew where to find him. He was after all magically tied to her for eternity. "Hello Genie. I need your help."

After talking to Sydney Regina went to find Henry. She still couldn't take the chance of being seen alone in town so she had to call and ask him to meet her. When he showed up at the playground she smiled. "I think I might have a plan." She told him. "But I need you to do something for me. I need you to bring me something of Emma's. Something personal, something I can use as a kind of magical Emma detector."

Henry bit his lip as he thought about that and then his face brightened. "Ok, I know what to get."

"Get it and bring it to the mausoleum in the cemetery." Regina replied.

The boy looked skeptical. "Why?"

Regina gave him a smile. "You'll see."

Henry ran home to Mary Margaret and Emma's apartment and up to Emma's room. He went through his mom's things until he found her baby blanket. He shoved it into his backpack and headed for his grandfather's crypt. "Mom?"

Regina smiled as she poked her head out of the small stone building. She crooked her finger in a come here way as she said, "I have something to show you." Once he was inside she moved the stone coffin out of the way and led him down the stairs to her vault.

"Wow." Henry said as he stood in the center of the room and turned slowly, taking it all in. "You have a secret lair!"

"Full of things I brought over from Fairytale Land." Regina said honestly. "I don't want to lie to you anymore Henry, and I really am sorry for everything I put you through, for making you feel the way I did."

"I know." Henry said softly as he looked up to meet her eyes.

Regina gave him a soft but sad smile. Then she started looking for what she needed. "If this is going to work Emma and Snow need to help." It took a little searching but she managed to find the mirror the Genie had given her as gift when they first met. It wouldn't be large enough to get Emma and Snow home, but it would be enough to send them something. Now that she understood the way the mirror realm worked she might be able to create the portal that way. "Did you bring me something of Emma's?"

Henry nodded and pulled out Emma's blanket. "It's Emma's but it has ties to Mary Margaret too, and it came from Fairytale Land. Will this work?"

"Lets hope so." Regina said as she took the blanket. She knew that items like this could hold great power. It should be just enough to locate Emma so Regina could send them something that would help her get them back. "Maybe if we're lucky it has some residual magic from the tree they used to make the wardrobe."

"Mom." Henry said gently as he watched her moving around doing whatever it was she was doing to make this all work.

"Yes Henry?" Regina replied as she stopped to look at him.

Henry smiled, a real genuine smile. "Thanks."

That smile made that little flicker deep inside her flare. "We'll find them Henry and I'll bring them back. I promise."


	4. Chapter 4

There was something strange happening. The wind had picked up in an odd way and there was a weird whirling noise. Snow and Emma looked around, preparing for some kind of magical attack, expecting to see Cora coming at them. Emma pushed Lucy behind her, her eyes darting around. There was no one around, the only thing any of them could see were trees, and the open expanse of dying land stretched out ahead of them. Something flickered and three sets of eyes scanned the skies but it was Lucy who pointed a few feet away and said, "What's that?"

A small swirling vortex of purple magic began to twist in the air. Emma held her breath. Regina! She waited for the portal to get bigger but it didn't. There was no way they could fit into it but something small could fall out of it. Emma ran over to where the item dropped, ignoring Snow's protests, and picked it up. It was a key. Looking up the portal still swirled but it was fading. In a moment of action over thought she took her necklace off, bunched it in the palm of her hand, and threw it as hard as she could at the portal. As suddenly as the portal opened it was gone.

"Emma?" Snow questioned as she rushed over to her daughter.

"It's a key." An old key like one of Regina's skeleton keys with a note attacked. She pulled the slip of paper loose and unrolled it. "This key is enchanted. It will take you were you need to go. Do try and be quick about it Ms. Swan. I don't like to be kept waiting. ~Regina. P.S. We hope you're both all right. We miss you. ~Henry (OC)

"OC?" Snow asked as she looked over Emma's shoulder at the note.

"Operation Cobra." Emma said with a smile. "He's telling me it's alright to trust this." She put the note in the pocket of her jeans and then started looking the key over. It looked like a normal old fashion iron key. So she whacked it on the palm of her hand as if that would somehow activate whatever it was meant to do.

Snow laughed. "It's not R2-D2, Emma. It's not going to project a hologram that tells us where to go or what to do."

"Than how does it work?" Emma asked.

"It'll glow." Lucy told them. "What's an R2-D2?" When Snow and Emma looked at her as if to ask how she knew about the key she shrugged and said, "Magically obsessed grandmother."

Snow bobbed her head and made a face that said, fair enough. Then she looked at the key. "Then it must work like my ring. It'll glow brighter when we're on the right path."

Emma moved around until she was apparently facing the right direction because sure enough the key began to glow. It took them a little more northeast than they'd been going but still along the boarder. The difference between the side they were on and Snow's side was staggering. Snow's side was all scared earth, and blackened trees, and an oil slicked lake in the distance. Emma stopped when the glow of the key began to fade to get their bearings once more. The key was now telling them to cross over into Snow's kingdom. Emma had just stepped across when Lucy suddenly screamed. Spinning on her heel Emma saw a shimmer of magic as vines wrapped and twisted around Lucy's body.

"Lucy!" Emma cried out as she rushed to the girl, trying to grab her, to pull the vines away. A separate set of vines began wrapping around Emma, and then around Snow. No one was surprised when Cora stepped out of the tree line, her hands raised as she magically controlled the vines.

"I've had enough of this nonsense Cordelia." Cora scolded. "You're coming home with me, and there will be no more of this defiance."

Emma and Snow struggled but couldn't get loose. "Leave her alone!" Emma spat at the woman while she fought against the tightening hold of the vines. "I really wish I had David's sword right now."

Lucy couldn't fight the vines. They were squeezing her so tightly she could feel the edges of darkness as she began to loose consciousness. She did however hear Emma, and then she felt that tingle again. Emma yelped in surprise when she suddenly felt an awkward weight in her hand. She used the sword to cut away at the vines, falling to the ground with a soft thud. Once she was free she helped Mary Margaret and then began cutting Lucy free.

As soon as she was able, Snow went for her bow. She notched an arrow and aimed it at Cora. "You hateful bitch." She growled. "I am so done." It wasn't a kill shot but having an arrow lodged in her shoulder did put an end to Cora's magic and all the vines died away.

"Come on kid!" Emma said as she grabbed Lucy, who'd crumpled to the ground. She moved quickly, half helping half carrying Lucy, as she ran, crossing over the boarder and heading for the cover of the woods. Cora, despite the pain of an arrow wound, followed. But once again there was a sudden scream. Turning towards the sound Snow, Emma, and Lucy as the vines attacked Cora she'd been using against them just moments before. They watched as the vine pulled Cora back over the boarder before wrapped around her body, encasing her. "What the hell?" Emma asked before looking at Lucy. She just shook her head to say it wasn't her while she tried to painfully fill her lungs with air.

"She said she was banished." Snow offered. "Regina must have magically locked her out some how."

"Boundary spells." Lucy whizzed. "Grandmother has them around the estate. The only reason I was able to get away was the magical talisman Nanny had embedded in the garden wall. It made a hole in the spell." She took a few more deep breaths before adding, "Nanny's dying wish was that I go to the Queen so she made sure I had a way out. She was convinced that all I had to do was tell the Queen my name, where I came from, and show her this," She pulled a large coin from her bag. "And the Queen would somehow make everything right for me."

"What is it?" Emma asked, looking at the coin.

Snow smiled softly. "It's a favor, a token that shows a servant is in service to a noble family." The coin would have shown Regina that the girl had been cared for by a woman loyal to Regina's family, perhaps even her own nanny. In the old woman's final days she'd been trying to send Lucy home. "Keep hold of that." Snow told the girl with a smile. "Its very special."

Lucy nodded as she ran her thumb over it before putting it away. "It was Nanny's."

Emma's heart broke. The only person in her life who had ever shown Lucy love and kindness was gone. Putting her arm around her she hugged the girl to her side. "Come on, lets keep following the magic key. I'm dying for a grilled cheese sandwich and I really miss my bed."

"And your son?" Snow teased.

"Yeah him too." Emma chuckled. "But the bed's more comfortable and the grilled cheese is more gooey."

Lucy smiled at the banter. She'd heard a lot about Henry, he sounded nice, but more important she bet Emma was a really good mom. Maybe if she were good enough Emma would think about being her mom too.

* * *

_Regina was getting really good at playing her roles, the dutiful obedient daughter, the sweet loving stepmother, the humble wife, and the benevolent young Queen. But the truth was that Regina was far from any of those things. When she wasn't completely numb and cold on the inside she was blazing white hot with anger and hate, and no one was clear of her loathing. Her mother, the King, Snow, even her father had in their own ways destroyed her life, her happiness. It was so easy for her to slip into a daydream about making them all pay, and that scared her. This darkness inside her, it scared her. _

"_Are you even listening to me Regina?" Cora said as she wrapped her long fingers around Regina's chin, forcing the girl to look up at her. _

"_Yes Mother." Regina said softly. "Of course I am. I think taking a ride through the villages is a good idea."_

_Cora beamed. "You should take Snow. Seeing you with their beloved princess will help the people love you more." _

_The last thing Regina wanted was to be around that damn child. How cruel that she should be expected to mother a stranger's child and denied the chance to mother her own. As soon as her mother let her go Regina got up and walked towards the window. "Yes Mother." _

_Cora droned on about raising tributes, and personal guards, and coat of arms, and banners, and she did it in such a pleased and happy way that Regina just couldn't take it. Yes, she had become good at pretending, at holding it all in, but she was still grieving and just couldn't take her mother's pure delight anymore. "Shut up, Mother!" She finally snapped as she turned to look at Cora. "Just shut up!" _

"_Regina!" Cora scolded as she got to her feet, moving around the desk she'd been sitting at. "How dare…"_

"_No Mother!" Regina replied. "How dare you! How dare you be so happy, so blissful, while my heart is breaking! She was your granddaughter!"_

"_Regina!" Cora snapped. "Do no speak another word!"_

"_Why Mother?" Regina asked, her voice dropping in volume but remaining just as sharp. "Are you afraid the King will find out about my dead bastard child?" _

_Cora flicked her hand at Regina, wrapping her in magic so she couldn't move or speak. "That is quiet enough you insolent child!" She moved closer to Regina, slapping her across the face. "I have given you the world and yet you continue to be ungrateful, disrespectful, and cruel." She tightened her magical grip until Regina was struggling to breath. "Enough is enough, Regina." She reached into the pocket of Regina's dress and took out the tiny knit bootie. "It's time to let go. Move on. And do as you're told." _

_The moment Regina realized her mother was going to destroy the only thing she had of her daughter she reacted. She had never liked using magic, she only used it when she absolutely had too, other wise she fought against it, but now she let it roll over her the way fire burns away paper. Breaking the spell her mother had on her she threw out her hand, capturing her mother just as she'd been trapped moments before. Regina's eyes were dark, full of pain, anger, even hate as she walked over to her mother and snatched back the bootie. _

_As angry as she was Regina couldn't harm her mother. "Don't touch it again." She warned before letting go of Cora. "Get out." _

"_You're weak." Cora said as she gasped for breath. _

_Regina turned her back on her mother, closing her eyes as she pressed a soft kiss to the bootie. She tried to tune out Cora's berating but she couldn't. _

"_You would have been a weak mother." Cora said. "She's better off dead." _

_The night before her wedding Regina had taken her mother's book and summoned the magical being who'd given Cora magic, the gold skinned man named Rumpelstiltskin. He had given her a mirror, telling her that it would take care of her mother issue. Regina couldn't do, she couldn't push her mother into the mirror. Turning on her mother now, pure fury and hate on her face, Regina cried out in a primal way as she threw such a magical force at her mother that it sent Cora flying clear across the room and into that very mirror. _

_There was an odd look of pride mixed with fear and anger on Cora's face as she was sucked into the glass. "Regina!" _

_Once her mother was gone Regina's fury broke and she gasped in shock and dismay. "What have I done? What have I done!?" Running to the mirror she pressed her hands against the glass only to find it solid and cold to the touch. "Mother! Mother!" Sinking to her knees Regina leaned against the glass and cried. "Mama."_

"_Dry your eyes dearie." Rumplestiltskin said from the lounge chair across the room. "What's done is done. She's alive and out of your hair. Now she's someone else's issue." Rumple leapt from the chair and nearly danced over to the girl before dropping down beside her. Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket with a flourish he wipe away her tears tenderly. "Tell me my dear." He said gently. "How did it feel?" _

"_I love my Mother." Regina said, heartbroken. _

"_Yes, yes, I know, fine line between love and hate." Rumple replied. "But how did it feel dearie? To use magic?"_

_Regina looked away but he made her look back. Looking into his odd eyes she felt unable to tell him anything but the truth. "I loved it." _

"_And that scares you?" He asked. _

"_I don't want to be like her." Regina said. "I don't ever want to be like her." _

"_Well that dearie is entirely up to you." Rumple told her. "The rest, just leave up to me." _

_When Cora came to she found herself in a strangle land full of odd colors and even odder people and creatures beyond her imagination. Wherever she was she had to find her way back. Regina had to pay for her insolence._

* * *

She felt the spark of Emma's touch as Emma cried out her name, "Regina!" She felt the pull of the portal and then the harsh cold of the linoleum floor. "Emma!"

"Emma!" Regina called out as she jerked awake from her sleep, bolting up right in bed. Her breathing was shallow and sharp as her hand reached up to curl around the swan pendant around her neck. She hadn't been expecting anything to come back through the portal but just before she closed it Emma's necklace dropped from it, landing at her feet. Henry had gotten so excited, taking it as a sign that Emma was alive. To her surprise Regina felt the same sense of relief wash over her. Crouching down she'd picked it up and ran her thumb over the swan before standing and holding it out to Henry.

Henry had seen something, a flicker of something, in the way his mom reacted to the necklace. He smiled and shook his head. "Keep it. Maybe you can use it to help bring her back."

Regina agreed and instead of just putting it in her pocket she put the necklace on. She hadn't taken it off since.

Getting out of bed Regina went downstairs to pour herself a drink. Her mind was racing as the emotions stirred up by her dream began ebbing away. She hoped Emma was all right. The sense of dread she felt upon waking had seemed so real and so current, not just something lingering from that night in the town hall. Walking into her living room she curled into her sofa with a glass of apple cider. She was just starting to feel a little more relaxed when there was a pounding on the door.

She wouldn't have answered it, who but an angry peasant would be pounding on her door in the middle of the night, but when she heard Charming's voice she knew she had to answer. What if something was wrong with Henry? Opening the door she was about to make a smart remark but Charming didn't give her a chance. He walked into her home, yet again, and stormed up the stairs. "Couldn't sleep?" She asked as she closed the door. "Want a drink?"

"What are you up too?" Charming demanded, not even phased by the fact that Regina was standing there in nothing but a silk blouse that he kind of recalls Emma wearing. "Henry says they're alive. He said you know they're alive."

"My son asked me to bring them back." Regina said as she walked past him and back into her living room. "So that is what I'm doing."

When she walked past him he saw the necklace. He followed her and before she had a chance to sit he grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. With his free and he reached for Emma's necklace. "Where did you get this?"

"Emma sent it through the portal." Regina answered honestly. As angry as it was making her to be manhandled by him, to have him in her home at all, picking a fight wouldn't do anyone any good.

"You created a portal?" He asked with a small flicker of hope in his eyes.

"A small one, kind of." Regina admitted.

"What do you mean kind of?" Charming asked.

Regina sighed, she hadn't wanted to say anything but apparently Henry felt they should all work together. "I can't create the same kind of portal the hat did. What I'm doing is more of a gateway thing."

"And you can do it without magic?" Charming asked.

Regina's lip curled into a snarl. She didn't like being reminded that she didn't really have magic at the moment. Every time she'd used it since it was brought to this world it had been aided, first by Emma and then the book. "I am the only one who can do it."

Charming knew that was a dig at him. "Why are you doing this?"

"For Henry." Regina answered.

The prince shook his head and demanded, "Why are you doing this?"

"For my son!" Regina shot back.

Again Charming grabbed the necklace around Regina's neck. Why would she wear Emma's necklace? Even if Henry did tell her she could hold on to it, which he didn't understand, why would Regina wear it? "Why are you doing this?"

Regina reached up, grabbed his wrist and squeezed as hard as she could, digging her nails into his skin. "Let go."

Something passed between them and Charming didn't like it. There was something strange, something foreign; in the Evil Queen's eyes and he knew it had something to with his daughter. "If you hurt them, if you're up to something and double cross us, I will kill you no matter what Henry says."

"Consider me warned." Regina hissed. "Now get out before your pet wolf eats my son."

They stood there glaring at each other for several long moments before Charming finally turned away from her, leaving her standing there in her living room flooded with emotions she couldn't comprehend. Snatching up her glass she downed the cider before throwing it at the fireplace. The last thing she wanted was for anyone, especially a Charming, to know that she might have feelings for Emma Swan.


	5. Chapter 5

They walked until they got to the water and then headed north. Now that they were back in familiar territory Snow was feeling a little more relaxed but not much. Things were so different now that she barely recognized anything. The pain and grief of seeing her home devastated like this was manageable until she saw it, across the water on the rocky island just off what use to be the greenest of forests, the ruins of the palace she and Charming had made their home. Snow stopped, frozen in place as she looked at the rumble left behind in the curse's wake. Tears filled her eyes and she could no longer hold it all in. Sinking to her knees in the sand, on the beach where Charming had asked her to marry him, she wept.

Emma wasn't sure what to do until Lucy gave her a shove and a look that said talk to her. Walking over to her mother Emma crouched down and put an arm around Snow's shoulder. "What is it?"

Snow looked out to the island, gesturing to it with her chin. "That was our home." She explained softly. "Mine, and Charming's, and yours. That's where you were born."

"I've seen it in Henry's book." Emma said gently as she looked out to where the castle once stood picturesque and proud. "It was beautiful. Maybe we can get it back. Maybe there's a way to fix all of this."

"Why would she do this?" Snow asked softly, a flicker of righteous anger in her voice.

"She didn't." Emma said. When Snow gave her a very harsh look she explained. "Mr. Gold created the curse. He did this. Regina just cast it. This devastation, this was Gold's doing, not Regina's. This," She waved her hand at the scenery around them. "Was personal. For some reason he's really pissed off at this place."

Snow shook her head, not understanding at all. "Why would he destroy his own home?"

"I don't know." Emma said as she rubbed Snow's back. "We'll ask when we get home."

They lingered a little longer but then Snow picked herself up and they went on, towards the mountains, away from the water, back into the forest, just as the key told them to do. They stopped to rest and eat after awhile. Emma hoped they wouldn't have to go much further because they were now out of provisions. They'd better be getting to where they were getting and soon. When Snow said she was going to scout ahead Emma knew she needed time alone so she didn't argue, she simply said to stay close. When she made it back to where Lucy was sitting she noticed the girl had tears in her eyes. Emma nearly panicked. She wasn't sure if she could handle two emotional breakdowns so close together.

Lucy had been watching Snow and Emma closely and even though there was an awkwardness about them it was very clear they loved each other so much. She found herself wondering what it would be like, to have a mom, to have someone love her the way Snow loved Emma, and to give that love back in return. The kind of love that didn't come with impossible demands or harsh words, the kind of love that wasn't tainted by fear and feeling alone.

"Hey." Emma said softly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Lucy said as she tried, and failed, at wiping her tears without Emma seeing.

Emma reached out and wiped the wetness from the girl's cheeks. "People don't normally cry for nothing."

"Your mom really loves you." Lucy said after a long pause.

Emma stiffened a little. It was still so very strange and unsettling to think of Mary Margaret as her mother. "Yeah, she does."

"You love her too." Lucy pointed out.

Emma nodded. As weird as it was she couldn't deny it.

Lucy sighed. "That must be so nice. To have that."

That broke Emma's heart. She understood what it was like to want someone to love you the way only a mother could. She understood that longing, that desire, to know what it felt like to have parents, to have your parents. How many times growing up had she daydreamed about a social worker or a foster parent coming to her and saying, "Guess what Emma! You're parents finally found you and want to take you home and love you!" Emma knew what it was like to wonder where her parents were and why they gave her up. Was there something wrong with her? Had she done something wrong? Wasn't she good enough? Even now that she knew why, that lingering sense of being alone in the world was still something that stuck with her. No kid should ever have to feel like that.

"Lucy." Emma said gently. "There's something you need to know." When the girl looked up at her, when she was sure Lucy was listening she said, "Cora's been lying to you. Lucy, your mother isn't dead."

"What?" Lucy gasped, her eyes wide.

"Your mother's alive, Lucy." Emma explained. "She's in Storybrooke."

Lucy shook her head in disbelief. "No, no! She wouldn't have left me! She wouldn't have left me with her!"

"Cora lied to her too." Emma told her. "She told Regina you were died. She doesn't know, Lucy." Emma told her about what Cora said to Snow, but the girl still didn't look convinced. "You look like her."

That stopped the girl's protests. Nanny had told her that her mother was beautiful but little more. Cora had forbid ever mentioning her daughter, not even her name was to be spoken. "My, my mother?" Lucy asked, her voice and body trembling with emotion. This was too much, it wasn't real, she was dreaming. There was no way she was being told that the one thing she wanted more than anything she might actually get to have.

Emma nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Yeah, you have her eyes, her nose, her ability to say a thousand words with her eyebrow. I think you might even have a bit of her smile."

Lucy smiled at that before saying, "You like her, my mother."

The blonde was caught off guard by the way Lucy said that and stumbled over her words before saying, "It's complicated. She's my son's adoptive mother."

It was a lot to take in. Her mother was alive and her grandmother had kept them apart. Why? She understood that there was something dark about her grandmother, but to do something like this? Could Cora really be so cruel? "Why, Emma? Why would Grandmother do that?"

"Because she's an evil, twisted, woman who only cares about power." Emma answered honestly. "You know her, Lucy. You know what Cora is like, what she did to you, how she treated you." Emma paused for a moment. Yes, Cora was by far the worse person she'd ever come across, and that was saying a lot, she knew Mr. Gold and Regina. Regina. The Evil Queen. Looking into Lucy's eyes Emma added, "You're going to need to keep that in mind."

"Why?" Lucy asked.

Because your mother did all of this, Emma thought as she looked around them before looking back at the girl, because your mother is the Evil Queen in this world and an all out bitch in the real one. "You just will."

"What about my father?" Lucy asked after a long silence. She was feeling very overwhelmed and confused, but she had to ask. If her grandmother had lied about her mother then she must have lied about her father to, right? "Did she lie about him too?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't know. I don't about him. I'm sorry."

Lucy nodded. Fresh tears welled in her eyes, as she looked up at Emma a spilt second before throwing her arms around her and hugging her. "I have a mom."

"Yeah kid." Emma said as she hugged the girl back. "You have a mom."

"You did what?!" Snow hissed softly as they got ready to head off again.

Emma looked like a busted teenager as Snow stared her down. "I told her the truth about Regina."

"Why?" Snow asked with a shake of her head. "Why would you do that?"

"Because we made her cry." Emma shot back. "She saw us together and it made her cry and seeing her cry is like seeing Henry cry and I just couldn't, I had to fix it."

"So you told her that her mother is the Evil Queen?" Snow shot back.

Emma shook her head. "I told her Regina was her mother."

"Same…"

"No!" Emma snapped. "Not the same. Maybe I would have agreed before Henry got sick, and before all of this, but no, no Regina doesn't have to be that anymore. You said Henry made me a better person. I think almost loosing him made Regina realize that she needed to be a better person and maybe, maybe having this one wrong righted will help."

Snow glared at her daughter. There was that, whatever it was when it came to Regina, in Emma's eyes again. Shaking her head she said, "For that child's sake I hope you're right. For ours too because I know where that key is leading us."

"Where?" Emma asked.

"Regina's castle." Snow replied.

* * *

The bug kept bothering her. He wasn't a conscious he was a nag. She finally ended up giving in to him because he'd played dirty and brought Henry, and because Henry thought it was a good idea she asked Archie if he'd like to stay for tea. Currently they were sitting in her study staring at each other. Regina sat in her black leather chair as if it were a throne, glaring at Archie like the bug he was, her tea service on the table between them untouched. The first time he'd approached her he said he could help her find out who she was. At the time she'd been so sure of who she was, but now, now she wasn't so sure. How much of her was truly her and how much was the result of her mother's actions and Rumple's? Since she started on this quest to rescue Emma and Snow, after figuring out her plan, one question lingered in her mind as the memories rolled over her like crushing waves. Had her life ever truly been her own?

"Regina." Archie said gently. "The way this normally works is you talk and I listen." Regina continued to sit and glare. Archie sighed. "If you want to be able to go back out into the community Regina, you're going to have to try and put some effort into this."

That got an eyebrow raise from the Queen. "And what exactly does that mean?"

"Well," Archie said a little nervously. "The Prince has decided that your fate will depend on your willingness to reform, and you can't truly experience change until we work through your issues."

Regina's eyes went wide as she uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. Her voice was low and dangerous. "My fate?"

Archie swallowed against a dry throat. "You do have a lot to answer for, Your Majesty."

Anger flashed in Regina's eyes. Her fingers curled so tightly around the arms of her chair that her knuckles were white. If she had her magic Archie would be a very crispy critter. She opened her mouth to tell Archie just what she thought of him and his help and where the Prince could shove his judgments when the Genie's mirror began to rattle on her desk. Leaping to feet she gracefully dashed to the desk and picked it up. The glass was shimmering and she couldn't help but smile. Grabbing her cell phone she pressed and held Henry's speed dial number. When her son picked up she said, "Henry, it's time. I'll meet you there. I hope so too, sweetheart." Completely forgetting about Archie Regina left the room, heading for the front door.

"Regina?" Archie called after her.

Regina paused at the door and turned to look at Archie with a smirk. "Do you and everyone else want to know how serious I am about redemption, Bug? Come with me and I'll show you."

* * *

Emma was surprised at how futuristic Regina's castle, formally King Leopold's castle, was. It was sleek, with smooth lines and curves, and arches. Emma kind of liked it. As they carefully moved inside the castle Emma kept an eye on both Snow and Lucy. She could tell being in Regina's castle, the castle she'd grown up in, was hard on Snow. And Lucy had been pretty quite since Emma told her about Regina. She was really hoping she hadn't screwed the kid up. Regina would never let her live it down if she had.

It was more than odd to be back in this castle after so very long. Snow was over come with the oddest mix of sensations. It was familiar like home and yet so uncertain and dangerous all at once. "Which way?"

Emma pulled out the key, which she'd tied around her neck with a leather string, and moved around until she said, "This way."

When Emma walked ahead of them Lucy finally took the change to look over at Snow, "Emma said she knows my mother because she's in Storybrooke, but that she doesn't know my father, which I guess means he isn't. But you, you knew her, my mother, before the curse didn't you?"

Snow was very careful with her words. She gave the girl a gentle nod. "I did. I've known Regina a long time."

"Did you know my father?" Lucy asked as she looked into Snow's eyes.

"Not well." Snow admitted. "I only met him once when I was very young."

"Oh." Lucy said softly, sadly. She was already putting two and two together.

Snow put her arm around the girl as she said, "I remember he was very handsome, and he was kind, and he loved Regina very much."

"Did he die the way Grandmother said?" Lucy asked after taking in Snow's words. "In service to the Queen?"

"In a way." Snow said honestly. Cora killed Daniel because he stood in the way of Regina becoming Queen, so in a way he had died in service to the Queen. "Yes."

When they got to a balcony that over looked the central courtyard Lucy ran to the railing to have a look. Snow and Emma lingered behind. Emma had heard the conversation and just had to ask, "How did this Daniel guy die?"

Snow kept her voice low so only Emma would hear. "He and Regina were going to run off together to get married. Regina begged me not to say anything but Cora manipulated me, used the way I felt about loosing my mother to get me to tell her about them. She discovered them in stables. She ripped his heart from his chest and squeezed it into dust while Regina watched. Regina told me Daniel had run off when I was younger. It wasn't until I ate the apple that I knew the truth."

Emma was quiet for a moment before she said so softly Snow nearly missed it, "Poor Regina. No wonder she's the way she is."

Snow didn't get a chance to comment. Lucy came running up to them, her hand cupped, and a beautiful smile on her face. "Look! Apple seeds! They're still alive, not like everything else around here." She fished a handkerchief from her satchel and very carefully wrapped the seeds before putting them in her bag. "I found them by the egg shells."

"What eggs shells?" Snow asked.

"In the courtyard." Lucy answered. "Can't tell if their dragon or dwarf though."

"Wait." Emma said with a confused look. "Dwarf?"

Lucy nodded, a look on her face that clearly said, duh.

"So dwarves are hatched?" Emma asked. Snow was smirking.

"How else would they be born?" Lucy asked as she titled her head to the side. "They're all male."

Emma went to say something but had no idea what to actually say. Reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose she said, "This place is giving me a headache." Then she chuckled as she looked down at Lucy while they began moving again. "Next you'll be telling me fairies come out of pods."

Lucy made a, don't be stupid Emma, face. "That would be silly. Fairies are made when a baby laughs for the first time. Don't you know anything, Emma?"

Snow chuckled. "She has a lot to learn about our land, Lucy, just as you'll have a lot to learn about her world. Maybe you two could learn it all together?"

The girl beamed at the idea. "I'd like that!"

They moved deeper into the castle until they got to a room that wasn't quite at dungeon level but pretty damn close to it. When Emma stepped in front of the heavy door the whole key lit up like a florissant light bulb. "Guess this is it."

Snow pulled her bow off and notched an arrow. "We have no idea what's behind that door. I suggest you lead with your sword."

Emma nodded. She used the key to unlock the door and then drew the sword Lucy had given her. With her free hand she pushed open the door. The room was dark but Snow was able to find a torch to light before they stepped inside. They were all rather surprised to find nothing more than a large gold-framed mirror.

* * *

Far beneath her father's mausoleum Regina waited with Archie for Henry and for the Genie's mirror to glow it's brightest. She knew Emma and Snow were in her castle, now they just needed to make it to the mirror. She didn't want to cast the spell to soon and have the unstable magic fade away before she could use it, so she had to wait. When she heard feet on the stone stairs she wasn't surprise to see Charming with Henry but the presence of Red did come as a surprise. "Oh look you've brought the family dog."

Charming put an arm out when Red moved towards the Evil Queen. "Knock it off, Regina. Why are we here?"

"Because if this works I so wanted to nauseate myself by witnessing one of your sickening displays of romance when you once again have your precious Snow in your arms. Oh, I should have brought shots. We could have played a game. Everyone takes a drink when one of you says, "You found me. I will always find you.""

"Mom." Henry scolded.

Regina didn't look the least bit contrite. "Sorry dear. Sometime it's just to easy."

Henry rolled his eyes.

When the Genie's mirror began to glow its brightest Regina knew it was time. Picking up the spell book she turned to the proper spell and then moved to stand in front of a full-length mirror.

"Is that what I think it is?" Charming asked.

"The mirror Snow found instead of you?" Regina asked in reply. "Yes, it is."

"Regina." Charming said in a voice that demanded answers. "What are you doing?"

Regina sighed. She turned to look at Charming who was flanked on either side by Red and Archie. "Do you remember the story of Alice and the Looking Glass?"

"Alice got to Wonderland the second time through a mirror." Henry explained. "A magic portal mirror that acted as a gateway between her world and Wonderland. Mom has Alice's mirror in her castle. It was a wedding present from Mr. Gold. Mom's going to link this mirror with that mirror and that'll give Emma and Snow a way home."

Charming stared at his grandson with a questioningly look.

Henry shrugged. "She promised not to lie to me anymore."

Regina smiled softly at her son before turning back to the mirror. Taking a deep breath she raised the book to her lips and blew across its pages. Magic the color of the brown ink in the book swirled from its pages and onto the surface of the mirror. She used nearly all of the book's magic before stopping. Closing the book she handed it to Henry and then held her breath. Several long, painfully long moments passed. Finally the surface of the mirror began to ripple and glow. Regina's reflection faded away as magic swirled behind the glass. When it cleared what they saw made Charming's eyes go wide, Red gasp softly, and Archie smile.

"Hello dear." Regina said as she looked at Emma through the glass. "Sorry for being a bit tardy. You're father wouldn't stop asking stupid questions."

Emma gasped as she moved closer to the gold-framed mirror. "Regina?"

"Explanations will have to wait." Regina said firmly. "The magic holding the gateway open won't last long. Put your hand on the glass."

"Wait." Emma said, feeling more then a little stunned and leery. The look she was getting from Regina wasn't helping matters. "Whatever you did, it'll have to get three of us over. Can it do that?"

"Three?" Regina asked with annoyance. "Did you pick up a stray? Really Ms. Swan." She huffed. "No, it'll have to stay. The mirrors only have enough magic for you and Snow."

Emma shook her head and then stepped as close to the glass as she dared. "Regina, listen to me. I can't explain it now. It's not something that should be explained over then um mirror, and certainly not in front of an audience." Emma locked eyes with the woman on the other side of the glass. "Regina, you are just going to have to trust me. I need you two fix it so three of us can cross. Regina. Please."

Dark eyes looked into green for several long moments. She couldn't explain it but something in Emma's eyes told her that trusting Emma right now was the right thing to do. "Henry, give me the book."

Henry hesitated. "But if you use any more magic the book will go dry. You'll have no magic at all."

Regina turned her head to look at her son and gave him a soft smile. "Then we'd better hope Ms. Swan's guest is worth it."

With the book in her hands once again Regina blew what remained of the magic onto the glass. When she once again handed it to her son he opened it and flipped through the pages to find them all blank. It scared him a little because that meant his mother was now completely without magic, and there were people around who wanted to hurt her. Regina gave him another soft smile and then returned her attention to Emma. "Aright Ms. Swan, now put your hand on the glass."

Emma did as Regina said. She was expecting to feel cold glass but instead she felt something that reminded her of dried out jello. Regina put her hand on the glass as well, overlaying it with Emma's. "Now push through." She instructed the blonde. Emma nodded and began pushing her hand through the glass, through the magic. It felt so weird. It tingled, and felt waxier now, like she was pushing her hand through warm wax rather than jello. It was harder for Regina because her mirror wasn't meant to be a portal, so she had to push that much harder. Then in the middle of the void their hands met. The roll of magic that came from their touch nearly sent them both wheeling backwards but they held on tight. That spark of magic shored up the gateway that the book's magic had opened. Regina smiled as she gave a gentle tug to Emma's hand, pulling the other woman through the mirror.

"Emma?" Snow cried out when her daughter was gone.

"It's alright! Come on!" Emma said from the other side of the glass. She looked at Regina who nodded. Then she thrust her hand back into the mirror. She helped Lucy through first because Snow made the girl go ahead of her, and then she pulled her mother through. Once Snow was through, just as Charming was wrapping his arms around her, the mirrors both shattered.

"You did it!" Henry cheered as he looked at Regina with awe before rushing to Emma and throwing his arms around her. "She saved you! You're back!"

"Hey kid." Emma said with an oaf as Henry barreled into her. "I missed you too."

While the Charmings had their little reunion with Archie and Red watching on in glee, Regina moved out of the way, and Lucy did her best to go completely unnoticed. Emma had called the woman in the mirror Regina. That was her mother. Lucy couldn't take her eyes off her and yet she couldn't move from where she hid, pressed against the wall. Lucy was free, she was safe from her grandmother and all the horrors of their land, but she was never more scared in her life.


	6. Chapter 6

There were lots of hugs and kisses to go around and after several minutes of this Emma was feeling very close to a panic attack. When she finally got David, James, whoever the hell he was to back off she promised to explain everything later. She said there was something more pressing she needed to deal with. Pulling away from her family her eyes darted around the room looking for Lucy. Everyone noticed and they to began looking for the third person Emma had risked their rescue on. The girl with the long dark hair and dark eyes was trying really hard to make herself melt into wall behind her with very little luck.

"It's alright." Snow said gently. "No one here will harm you."

Lucy finally tore her eyes from Regina to look around at the others. To be honest she hadn't noticed them because the moment she saw her mother everything else had vanished from view. Noticing them all now just made her press against the wall that much harder.

"It's alright kid." Emma said gently and held out her hand.

Regina's dark eyes took in the tiny figure that had been hiding. She'd only gotten a glimpse of the girl; enough to know Emma had brought over a child, when she came through the glass. But now, as Regina took the girl in, she saw something she couldn't explain. The child looked hauntingly familiar and yet Regina knew for certain they'd never met. Had they? For just a moment their eyes met, Regina's and Lucy's, and in that moment Regina felt something, a spark of something, a flicker. Regina was completely transfixed by the child.

When Lucy was standing in front of her Emma knelt down while grabbing Henry and pulling him closer. "This is my son Henry." She told Lucy. "You're going to go with Snow and him to his house, ok? Because I need to talk to Regina alone and then when we get there we'll all talk and we'll work this all out, alright?"

Lucy looked between Emma and Henry and then nodded, her voice soft and slightly quivering. "Yes Emma."

"Good." Emma replied before leaning in and whispering in Lucy's ear. Lucy nodded and pulled something from her satchel, which she passed to Emma. It was clear Henry was not ok with leaving Emma just after getting her back but Emma whispered to him that the girl's name was Lucy and that she needed someone to look after her and she was asking him to do it. She also promised that when she and Regina came to the mayor's mansion she would explain everything to him.

Once it was just Regina and Emma standing in the lair beneath Henry Senior's tomb Regina finally turned her gaze to the blonde. Emma looked in need of a hot bath, a good meal, and a full night's sleep but no worse for adventure in Fairytale Land. Regina was hit by such a surge of relief that it nearly knocked her breathless. The sudden urge to reach out and touch Emma to make sure she was real was so overwhelming that Regina grabbed onto whatever she could to keep herself from acting on those feelings. "Ms. Swan," She said, her voice low in that dangerous tone meant for only Emma. "Who was that child?"

"I'm going to explain her." Emma said as she reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. "As soon as I figure out how."

Regina crossed her arms and glared. "Altering that spell at the last moment like that could have been dangerous! You could have risked being lost in the mirror realm! Our son would have witnessed that! Leave it to you to go to a land of fantasy and bring back a waif! I hope the risk you made us take for that little urchin was worth…"

"She's your daughter!" Emma cut in and then flinched. She hadn't meant to do it that way, but when Regina started ranting like that Emma's instincts were to slap her. This time she let the slap happen verbally, ok most of the time the slap came out verbally, but this time she regretted it. The horror and pain that crossed Regina's face, the grief that suddenly took up residence in her eyes, felt like a two-by-four to the gut.

She's your daughter. The words hit Regina like a truck. She even staggered backwards. How would Emma even know about her? No one knew about the baby she lost, no one but her mother and Nanny. Regina wanted for the rage but all she felt was sorrow. Sorrow over her little girl lost and over Emma's attack. And then, like an old friend, it came.

She could see it coming. Regina always did telegraph her punches. Emma was able to catch her by the arm and easily turned Regina's body so they were front to back. She wrapped her arms around the dark haired woman and held her tight. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Regina." She said into the other woman's ear as Regina fought against her hold. "I know you think she'd dead, and I know this is a lot for you to take in, but your mother lied to you. Cora lied when she told you the baby died. She's had her all this time, Regina." The brunette kept struggling so Emma kept holding her. "Regina, please. Just let me explain, ok? Calm down, damnit!"

She was trembling, her head wheeling. She knew the kind of person her mother was but could she really have done something so horrifyingly vile? Could she have stolen her daughter away and told her she died to cover it up? Could she willingly put Regina through that kind of grief? Yes, as much as it pained her to admit, yes Cora would do all of that and more if it got her what she wanted. "Alright." She finally replied in a breathless voice. "But Ms. Swan, I swear if…"

"I know." Emma said as she gave Regina a bit of a comforting squeeze before letting her go. "I know you'll do something ugly and not very nice to me." Once the brunette was facing her again Emma pulled out what she'd asked Lucy for and held it out to Regina. "Mary Margaret said that was some kind of family marker used by employees."

She couldn't help but raise a brow. "Really Ms. Swan? You're PCing it up?" She looked at the coin for just a moment before saying, "Yes, it's a token used by servants to show who their working for."

"Look at it Regina." Emma said firmly.

Regina held the coin up and looked it over carefully. Her eyes went wide before she shot her gaze to Emma. "This belongs to my family."

"Her nanny gave it to her before she died." Emma said, retelling Lucy's story. "She told her to take that to the Queen, show it to her, tell her her name, and that the Queen would make it right."

Regina's heart stopped beating in her chest. This was Nanny's coin, bigger than all the other's because Nanny had been with them for so long. "Her name? What is her name?"

"Well, your mother named her Cordelia." Emma pulled a face but then she smiled softly. "But her nanny called her Lucy. That's the name she likes best. Lucy."

"Lucy?" Regina asked, her voice catching as all the air rushed from her body. Tears welled in her eyes as she backed away from Emma until she felt the wall behind her. Regina looked down at the coin in her hand as she slowly sank to the floor. "Lucy."

* * *

_They sat on a blanket under a tree, like younger lovers were known to do, in a clearing far from the estate. Daniel had his arm around Regina while she rested her head on his chest, a happy smile on her beautiful face. The ruminants of their lunch was laid out on a leather saddlebag at their feet, while the canteen of wine they were sharing was near Daniel's hand. A warm autumn breeze made the leaves in the tree dance, adding a gentle percussion to the natural chorus of the setting. The midday sun was warm on Regina's skin and it helped to lull her into blissful daydreams. _

_Daniel looked down at Regina's smiling, happy face, and smiled himself. He reached out to brush at a stand of hair, his fingers ghosting over her cheek. "What are you thinking about?" His question made her blush and his smile grew brighter. "Oh now you have to tell me. What are you thinking about, Regina?" _

_Regina opened her bright mahogany eyes and smiled a shy smile at being caught. "What the future might be like." _

"_And what do you see when you look at the future?" Daniel asked as he lovingly brushed the back of his fingers down her flushed cheek._

"_Us," Regina said softly. "You, and me." She hesitated and then added, "And children." She blushed a little more. "Two, both sons, handsome and strong like…" _

"_No." Daneil cut her off with a gentle shake of his head. "A little girl too. A beautiful little girl who looks just like you. A little girl who makes you laugh when she twirls in her pretty new dress, and can give you a run for your money on a horse, and brings light to your eyes every time she asks you to brush her hair, or read her a story, or asks you a million questions." There was light his eyes as he got caught up in the fantasy. "Lucy." He said with a smile. "Because it means light and I love how bright your eyes get when they light up." _

_Regina laughed as she wrapped her hand about the fabric of his shirt as if she were trying to keep him from going anywhere. "And how do you know Lucy means light?" _

"_My mother's a midwife and I have younger siblings." Daniel answered and then he bought his arm down from where it had been behind his head to tickle her. "If you don't like it we could call her after your mother." _

_Regina thumped him hard in the chest. "I would never!"_

_Daniel laughed. "I bet one of those sons running around in your head is named Henry." _

"_Yes, well," Regina huffed. "I actually like my father." _

"_But you don't like your mother?" Daniel asked carefully. He knew that Cora was a very delicate subject for Regina, and he understood why. It caused him pain to see the way Regina was treated by her mother. She was a means to an end to Cora, not a child to be loved. _

"_I love my Mother." Regina said softly. "But that doesn't mean I have to like her. I just have to respect her."_

_Which was the reason they were talking about daydreams and fantasies rather then weddings and homes and real babies. Regina was too afraid of her mother, though she called it respect, to tell her parents about them. It did bother him, the idea that he would be taking her from the life of a noble to the life of a stableman's wife, but he loved her and all Regina would have to do is say the word and he would marry her, he would take her from this place, and he would spend the rest of his life making her happy. _

"_Alright," Regina said as she shifted so she was straddling his lap and looking down into his handsome face. "A little girl, she'll be the baby. She'll be the apple of her Daddy's eye and the light in her Mama's life." _

"_And two sons to protect her from all the bogymen and potential boyfriends that I don't scare off myself." Daniel chuckled just before Regina pressed her lips to his. _

* * *

Emma sat beside Regina on the floor telling her everything. She told her about finding Lucy in the woods, and how Lucy had been running away when the curse hit. She told her about the odd feeling that made her agree to bring Lucy with them before they knew who Lucy was. She told Regina about the cave, and meeting Cora. "Your mother's a real piece of work." She groaned. Regina's eyes went a little wide when Emma told her about Lucy having magic, and she smirked when she heard about Snow's arrow and the vines at the border.

Her mind kept flashing back on memories that would no longer be kept locked away in her soul. Memories of Lucy's birth and now healthy she'd looked. Her eyes were so bright, her skin so pink, so warm, and her cries so strong. She'd seemed so perfect, so healthy, so why had Regina been so easily convinced that her child had died? Was that way she had felt so numb? Could she have some how known and yet was too helpless to do anything about it? She had been so very young. And now that she was thinking about it, so very drugged. Something in that vile tea the midwife kept giving her kept her mind clouded. By the time she was physically recovered and her mother stopped making her drink the tea, the lie was firmly ingrained.

"She knows." Emma said gently. She was afraid if she spoke in anything more then a gentle almost whisper it would make Regina jump. "Lucy knows that you're her mother. She doesn't know about, ya know, the evil queen thing, but she knows that you're her mother and that her father died."

"Daniel." Regina's heart twitched painfully.

Emma nodded while she inched a little closer. There was now no space between them. She could feel the tension rolling off Regina's body in waves. "Cora told her that her father was killed in service to the Queen and that her mother died in childbirth."

Daniel was murdered to make her Queen not in some heroic battle on her behalf. If she had just shoved her mother into that mirror the night before her wedding to Leopold everything would have been different. Her life, her daughter's life, Snow's life, would have all been better for it. "If she thinks her mother died in childbirth than how does she know I'm her mother?"

"I told her." Emma answered honestly. "She felt guilty thinking that it was her fault her mother died, and was hurting because she saw something in me and Mary Margaret that she didn't think she'd ever have. So I told her. Kid had the right to know you were alive."

Regina turned her head to look at Emma, the first real movement she'd made since sinking to the floor. Emma had just spent months telling her how horrible a mother she was, and now here she was delivering yet another child into her care?

"I was wrong." Emma said softy, reading Regina's thoughts in the way the other woman looked at her. "You do love Henry. But in my defense not even you realized how true that was until he died." Emma paused for a moment before saying, "We're both emotionally screwed up. Neither one of us knows how to really love someone because we never really got to experience it. But for Henry we're willing to try, and now you have Lucy, you get to make up for all bad shit the same way I am."

Regina turned away from Emma. She sat perfectly still just staring at Nanny's coin for a long time, taking in everything Emma had said to her. She thought about Lucy's life, her mother, and all the point Emma made. Then suddenly she jumped to her feet. Emma's touch in the mirror had given her magic a jump-start and she used it now to swirl the pieces of shattered mirror.

"Regina." Emma said as she sprung to her feet. There had been a flicker of something truly terrifying in Regina's eyes a second before she leapt to her feet, but it didn't scare Emma in the way it would have in the past. Emma wasn't afraid Regina would hurt her, she was afraid she'd hurt herself. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to go back there and kill my mother." Regina said as she tried to magically fix the mirror. "I'm going to go back there and make her pay for everything she's done to Lucy, to me, to Daniel, to my father, to Snow…"

Emma grabbed Regina by the upper arms and forced her to look at her. "Regina! Haven't you learned yet that revenge doesn't hurt anyone more then it hurts you?! You go back and kill her and than what? You set foot in that land and you're a dead woman!"

"Then it's a win-win for everyone isn't it?" Regina spat.

"Everyone expect your kids!" Emma growled. And me, she thought but pushed that away as quickly as she could. "Stop and think, Regina! That's your problem! You get caught up in the bad shit and let it drive you to that dark place your mother created! Knock it off!" She gave Regina a little shake to make her point. "You have two very good reasons to get as far from that dark place as possible. Henry and Lucy."

Regina's breath hitched and her heart began to beat again.

"Now pull yourself together because there is a very frightened little girl waiting at your house who only wants one thing, her mother." Emma said firmly, her gaze never leaving Regina's eyes. "You're life's been shit. Yeah, well so has mine. I had to step up, you forced me to step up, and now I'm returning the favor."

"Why?" Regina asked after finding her voice. "Why do you even care?"

"Because I happen to like your kid, a lot." Emma answered. "And I happen to like my kid a lot. And like it or not you're their mother, so we're stuck with each other."

Neither woman admitted that being stuck together might not be such a bad thing. They simply came to a silent but mutual agreement that everything they did would be for Henry and now Lucy too.

They stopped at Regina's office so she could get cleaned up. She was not going to meet her daughter looking like a raccoon. When they pulled into the driveway of the mayor's mansion Emma got out of Regina's black Mercedes but Regina sat there, her hands gripping the wheel and her eyes staring straight ahead. Emma walked over and opened her door. "It might be weird for awhile, Regina." She said honestly. "For both of you." She knew this first hand. Emma had now been on both sides of this, suddenly a mother and now suddenly a daughter. "But it'll be alright."

Regina turned her head to look up at Emma. There was gentleness in Emma's features, an understanding sympathy in her eyes, and reassuring smile on her lips. Regina gave a slight nod and then forced herself out of the car.

Inside Snow, Charming, and Henry waited with a very nervous looking Lucy. Watching the girl react to the strange new world around her made Snow thankful for the small mercy of the curse automatically fitting them into this world. She didn't remember having to learn about things like cars, cell phones, and television. Lucy had been frightened by David's truck, inquisitive about his cell phone, and leery of the television. She had after all just crossed worlds through a mirror so it was understandable that she would be leery of the large flat glass thing with people trapped inside. Henry had offered to show her his book but Snow quickly vetoed that. They were keeping the whole Regina the Evil Queen thing under wraps for now.

Thankfully the girl had been easily distracted by Regina's chess set. She and Henry were playing while Snow and Charming watched, out of earshot. Snow told him everything and he just couldn't believe it. Regina had a daughter. He was glad they'd sent Red and Archie to tell the town that Snow and Emma were home and that they would meet with everyone tomorrow. This wasn't a rumor they felt should be spread around town. There were still plenty of threats to Regina's safety, Mr. Gold and Dr. Whale topping the list, and no one wanted to make Lucy a target. Who knew what those men were capable of, especially Whale since no one knew who the hell he was.

When the front door opened and closed everyone looked up and turned their gazes towards the doorway to the living room. There was a lot of tension and when Emma and Regina walked in a lot of awkwardness, and uncertainty. Regina walked in and her eyes went right to Lucy, taking every inch of the girl in. Now she realized why the girl looked so familiar. She could see herself as a child as well as Daniel in the girl's features. She was so beautiful and the sight of her brought tears to Regina's eyes.

Emma watched as they stared at each other and after several long moments she finally said, "She knows, Lucy. It's ok. I told her everything. It's ok."

Lucy's eyes tore from Regina to look at Emma for a moment and then went right back to Regina. She slowly slipped from her chair and walked cautiously closer to her mother. Another moment passed as they just looked at each other and then Lucy dipped into a deep curtsy just as she was taught, but Regina caught the movement just as she started and quickly reached for Lucy. She cupped the girl's face and gently forced her to straighten. She shook her head gently, "No, Lucy, don't do that. You don't have to do that."

Lucy looked confused, a little frightened, and so full of longing and hope. Emma smiled reassuringly at her. "Try saying hello. It's a good place to start."

Lucy nodded gently because she didn't want Regina to take her touch away. "Hello."

Regina's breath caught in her chest. "Hello."

Tears welled in Lucy's eyes. Her mother was touching her, her mother was standing right there in front of her, and there was no doubt in the girl at all that Regina was indeed her mother. She could see herself in the woman just as Emma said, but more importantly she felt it, deep inside and in her heart she felt it. "I thought you died."

"I know." Regina said gently, sadly. "Emma told me. I was told the same about you. If I had known, if I had known you were… I would have come for you. Nothing would have stopped me coming for you."

"Emma said Grandmother was…"

Emma moved quickly to cover the girl's mouth. "Yeah, no one needs to know what Emma said about her. We all have a pretty good idea."

"I think we're all having the same thoughts." Regina said with a teary chuckle.

Emma stepped back and watched as the two went back to staring at each other while they tried to work out what to do next and work up the courage to do it. The whole room watched as if holding their breaths.

Then Lucy spoke, her voice soft and scared, so uncertain and yet so full of hope it was nearly painful for those watching. "Mother?"

Regina breath hitched as her heart leapt. "Yes Lucy?"

The girl melted, that's all it took, Regina's acknowledgment of the term, of her place in Lucy's life. The girl threw her arms around Regina's waist and hugged her, pressing her face against Regina's stomach.

Regina was caught of guard by the hug and it took a few moments for her to snap out of her shock and return it.

Henry watched in confusion. Emma saw the look and moved over to him. She took him over to the sofa and sat him down. "Henry, it's a really long story and I promise to tell you all of it. But the most important thing you need to know right now is that you have a little sister."

The boy's eyes went comically wide. "She's Mom's?"

Emma nodded. "Regina's mother is a cruel woman, a sick woman, and she did some very horrible things, including keeping them apart. Your Mom and Lucy, they're gonna need us, they're gonna need you. I know you and Regina aren't on good terms…"

Henry didn't let Emma finish. "She brought you back, Emma. She used all her magic and she brought you all back. Something's different about her. I believe her."

"Believe her about what?" Emma asked.

"Wanting to redeem herself." Henry answered. "And I think she wants to do it for us."

"Us?" Emma asked, her eyes a little wide.

Henry smiled. "Didn't you notice what she's wearing?"

Emma shook her head and then turned to look at Regina. She blinked when she saw it. Was Regina wearing her necklace? Why was Regina wearing her necklace? And why did she suddenly have the feeling that things were about to get a hell of lot more complicated?


	7. Chapter 7

Standing in the doorway between the living room and hall Regina leaned against the frame watching the sleeping figure sprawled out across her sofa. The previous night had been an emotional one as she met her daughter for the first time since the day of her birth, and with Henry who suddenly found himself a big brother. Snow and Charming took their leave at some point but Emma stayed. Lucy had bounded with her and having Emma around helped her relax as she took all of this newest in. If Regina were honest she'd been grateful for Emma's presence as well. Each time Lucy called her mother there was such an undertone of insecurity in her voice that it physically hurt Regina. It was the same pain she felt each time she heard the hollowness in the way Henry said mom. One child terrified of her rejection and the other rejecting her instead. She had a lot of work a head of her and she knew it. She had to make sure Lucy felt safe, secure and loved, and she needed to prove to Henry that she wasn't who she use to be. And she had to do it while dealing with a town full of people who were out for her head.

Walking over to the sofa Regina looked down at a sleeping Emma and wasn't sure if she wanted to smile or roll her eyes. She had several rooms upstairs but aside from her own and Henry's only one had been decorated and fit for sleeping in. That was the room they'd settled Lucy in after Henry had found her an old t-shirt she could put on following her bath. At first they thought Lucy might be up most of the night, every new corner of the house offered a new and exciting discovery, but as soon as the girl's head hit the pillow she was sound asleep. After Henry went to bed, following a thorough integration of Emma and everything that happened in Fairytale Land, Regina decided it would be best if she retired for the night as well. Her emotions were all over the place and she simply didn't trust herself to be alone with Emma. So after fetching the blonde something to sleep in, blankets and a pillow she hid like a coward in her bedroom.

She hadn't slept much. She was up every couple of hours checking on Lucy and Henry. So it wasn't a surprise that she was done up for the day, showered, dressed, her hair and make perfect by seven. Coffee was made, and breakfast was nearly ready, Regina had been busy. Sitting on the coffee table beside the sofa she took a moment to look Emma over and then scolded herself for doing it. What the hell was she doing? Groaning inwardly Regina reached out and gently shook Emma's shoulder. "Ms. Swan." Emma mumbled something incoherent and it made Regina smile. "Ms. Swan, don't you have a town meeting to get ready for?"

"Let'emwaitI'mthedamnprincess." Emma muttered which caused Regina to laugh, which caused Emma to open her eyes. It was such a lovely sound, Regina's laugh. She caught it just in time; the warm, bright smile on Regina's lips that disappeared the moment the brunette knew she was awake. "What time is it?"

"Eight." Regina said softly. "You need to meet your parents at city hall at nine. I've laid some things out you may barrow if you wish to freshen up before you go."

Emma sat up slowly, expecting to feel sore from sleeping on a couch, but she actually felt better than she had in over a week. Of course Regina wouldn't have a crappy spring stabby couch, the damn thing was more comfortable than her own bed. "Thanks." She replied. "The kids?"

"Still asleep." Regina answered. "I was just about to wake Henry. He wants to go with you to the meeting."

Regina would be one of the topics bound to come up and Emma wasn't sure Henry should be there to hear what everyone had to say about her. "Na, leave him sleep. He promised to have French toast with Lucy."

"Alright." Regina said with a slight nod.

To her relief Emma found a pair of jeans, designer jeans that probably cost more than all her jean combined but jeans nonetheless, and a nice simple top waiting for her upstairs. Finding her necklace lying on top of the pile of clothes was a little sad for Emma and when she asked herself why she realized the answer was, because Regina had taken it off. She brushed her thumb over the swan and wondered once again why Regina had been wearing it in the first place. Had it helped her in some magical way or had she been wearing it for a more personal reason? Like maybe she'd missed Emma? Emma snorted. That was a stupid thought. Regina probably missed her the way a lioness misses a throne its paw.

She'd showered the night before but this one felt just as good after spending all that time traipsing through the woods. Once Emma was dressed she left a note for Henry telling him that leaving him behind was her idea, and that she'd be back after the meeting. Then she snatched some coffee from Regina's kitchen and headed for town hall. The walk gave her time to think about everything. She'd spent her whole life alone relaying on no one but herself and never letting anyone relay on her. Now here she was with a family, she had a son and parents, and there was Lucy and apparently Regina, and she had no idea what to do with any of them. It was so different having people relay on her as Emma from having people relay on her as Sheriff. And what scared her most about it wasn't the fact that they were relaying on her in some way, but that she didn't feel the need to run. Sure she was freaking the hell out but for the first time in her life Emma Swan didn't want to run.

The chatter of the townspeople reached Emma's ears before she even made it to the doors of the very room where she and Snow had been sucked out of reality by the hat. She had to stop and take several deep breaths before she continued down the long hallway. She took another before opening the door and walking in. Just as she figured would happen she was pounced on by just about everyone. Ruby, Granny, Archie, even Leroy let her know how happy they were to see her. She was just as happy to see all of her friends as well so she didn't mind so much. Not until Mother Superior called her "Your Highness" and than she remembered just how weird this all was. Despite her half asleep jumble of words Emma really didn't want to be anyone's princess. Things just got more uncomfortable when she was made to stand with her parents in front of everyone as if they were holding court over them, and then it hit her that they were, and Emma had to fight the urge to hide.

Barely five minutes into the meeting after her mother had officially started someone, Gumpy, shouted out, "Is it true, what Archie said? Did the Evil Queen bring Snow and Emma back?"

"Yes." Snow said gently as she looked out at her friends. "Regina is the one who brought us back. She…"

"Then she can send us home!" Grumpy cut in.

James shook his head. "She can't…"

"Why not?" Whale demanded. "Clearly she has magic. Why can't she send us back?"

Snow wasn't comfortable with admitting Regina was powerless. She didn't know about the mirror shards, Emma never told her. "There isn't anything to go back too. It's destroyed. The people left behind are living like refuges."

"And whose fault is that!" Whale demanded. "Why hasn't she been punished for what she's done? Why do you keep protecting her!"

"Because Regina isn't totally at fault here!" Emma cut in before her mother could answer. "Regina didn't create the curse." This caused a murmur of voices in the crowd. "If you want the person who did create it, who did maliciously destroy your homes," She pointed at Mr. Gold who was lurking in the back of the room. "Then it's Gold you're looking for. He created the curse. If you want Regina punished then you damn well better punish him as well. Regina was just the loaded gun. Gold pulled the damn trigger."

Without her powers Regina was an easy target. Mr. Gold however, with or without magical powers, now that was a different story. Most of the townspeople decided it was easier, safer, to throw Regina under the bus, to get their pound of flesh from her. Some called out for house arrest, the dwarves offered to dig out a dungeon for her deep in the mines, some murmured about physical punishments that sounded a lot like torture to Emma, and still there were some who wouldn't be happy with less than her death.

"Not going to happen!" Emma argued with them. "And if anyone even tries it you'll answer to me!"

"Emma." Snow tried to calm her daughter, whose reactions were only stirring things up.

"No." Emma said, having heard enough of lets kill the witch. "Regina is under my protection. Got that?"

More murmuring. Most were surprised, Archie was kind of pleased, James was kind of impressed, but also there was a lot of anger. Whale quickly turned it around, painting Emma as a traitor. This of course caused another confrontation between Whale and James. Basically nothing was accomplished in the meeting, other than Emma putting Regina off limits to everyone, so Snow had no choice but to end the meeting. For now everything was still up in the air.

"Emma." Snow said as the room cleared out. "At some point something will have to be done."

"Yeah, I know, I get that." Emma replied. "But whatever it is, it's going to be something that doesn't take her away from her kids. Lucy just got her mother back. Henry has the chance to have her as the mother he always wanted her to be. No one's taking her away again."

There was that look again. Snow was concerned about that look, but she figured as long as Emma didn't understand what she was feeling things would be all right. When her daughter turned to leave Snow asked, "Where are you going?"

"Lucy needs things." Emma said. "And Regina can't leave the house alone because someone might do something stupid."

* * *

Lucy awakened to the most wonderful smells, which helped to keep her from panicking when she woke up in a strange room with strange things like electric lights. The girl sat up slowly, taking in the room and slowly slipped from the bed. Had it been a dream? Had Emma and Snow and Henry all been a dream? Had her mother? Her heart twisted in panic, sending the girl running from the room only to be stopped by crashing into Henry.

"Hey, you ok?" Henry asked as he caught Lucy before she could stumble backwards.

She took him in, felt the warmth of his hands on her skin and sighed softly. "Henry."

"Did ya have a bad dream or something?" Henry asked, concerned by the look of fear on Lucy's face.

The girl shook her head. "I… I thought you were a dream, that, that Mother…"

"She's downstairs." Henry reassured and then smiled as he took a huge breath. "She's making French toast and bacon. Come on."

He led her down the stairs and through the house to the kitchen. Lucy's body was full of tension until she saw Regina and then it was like someone had cut her strings, letting her relax. It hadn't been a dream. Her mother was real, a live, and standing there smiling at her.

"Good morning." Regina greeted brightly until she noticed the tension around Lucy's eyes. "Everything alright?"

Lucy simply nodded.

Henry smiled as rubbed Lucy's back. "See, Mom's here. We're real."

Again the girl just nodded.

Regina's heart broke. "Oh Lucy." She said softly. "I'm sorry. I should have been there when you woke up."

"It's alright." Lucy replied, her voice barely a whisper. She looked embarrassed over having such doubts. "I'm sorry."

Regina and Henry both looked confused. "For what dear?" Regina asked. When it was clear that Lucy didn't know how to answer Regina walked over to her and brushed the hair off her face. "You've nothing to be sorry for, Lucy. You were frightened, yes?" Lucy nodded. "And that's perfectly fine. This is lot for anyone to make sense of."

Once she was sure Lucy was feeling a little better she told the children to take their seats at the table. Since Henry refused to eat apples his stuffed French toast had peaches in it, but Lucy loved apples. Once they were settled in to eat things were quiet for a little while but then Henry being Henry began asking questions.

"How old are you?" He asked first. She looked around his age, which was weird because she would have been born long before he was, actually she'd have been born before Emma was.

"Ten." Lucy answered. "I think. I mean I was frozen in time for twenty-eight years so I guess I'm thirty-eight."

"You're ten." Regina said gently. She was vain enough not to want to think about how old she should really be. Henry asked when Lucy's birthday was and she answered him using Fairytale Land dates. Regina translated. "November 5th."

"Where were you living?" He asked next. Regina wanted to know the answer to this too.

"The old mill on the border between kingdom's." Lucy answered. "Grandmother had a grand home built there after she married Grandfather."

She'd been raised in the house she'd been born in and because Regina couldn't bare the pain of going back there she never knew. Her mother had hidden her child in plain sight and she never even suspected. What Regina still couldn't figure out was how her mother had gotten back to Lucy after she'd sent her to Wonderland. If Cora hadn't come back Nanny would have been able to bring Lucy home to her. She hoped Wonderland laid in ruins.

"Lucy," Regina asked gently. "Was Cora with you all the time?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, she would stay awhile and then leave."

So Cora was traveling between lands? And if so did she still have that ability? Now there was a freighting thought.

The children continued chattering about school and tutors and games. Regina had a soft smile on her lips as she watched Henry do his best to help prepare Lucy for her new life here. When there was a knock at the front door Regina got up to answer it. The moment she set eyes on Emma she knew things at the meet hadn't gone well. Rather then leading Emma to the kitchen she lead her to the study before asking, "What have the righteous chosen to do with the wicked?"

"What?" Emma replied, still fuming a little. "Oh, nothing. I mean, nothing was decided. Things got a little out of hand. People weren't happy when I said they couldn't harm you."

Regina was surprised but she didn't let it show. "You told them that?"

"I said something about you being under my protection, yeah." Emma said with a shrug.

"You said those words?" Regina asked. It was getting more difficult to hide her surprise. "That I was under your protection?"

Emma nodded. "Yeah, why? What's wrong with the way I said it?"

Regina couldn't help but smile. "They're all thinking like their old selves Ms. Swan, and from where we come from, what you said, well, you've just taken personal responsibility for me."

"Oh." Emma replied as she tried to fathom just what that meant.

"Why did you do that?" Regina asked as she leaned against her desk and crossed her arms over her chest while softly glaring at the blonde. "After everything I've done to you. Why would you even bother?"

"Henry, and Lucy." Emma answered simply, because the simple answer made more sense to her right now. The more complex answer would be that Emma didn't want to see anything happen to Regina because she cared about what happened to Regina.

Regina accepted the answer with a nod before saying. "The children are in the kitchen. Have you eaten?"

Emma joined them for the rest of breakfast. It was both very awkward and strange and yet oddly comfortable. Afterwards, once Henry and Lucy were ready they headed into town to get some things for Lucy. The looks Regina was getting reaffirmed the need for Emma's presence. Thankfully the buzz about the child Emma and Snow had brought along was bigger then the need to confront the Queen. Who was she? Why had Snow and Emma taken her to Regina?

Lucy was far to young and overwhelmed to notice how people were leering at Regina, or pay much attention to the whispers. Henry though, he noticed and he heard and it bothered him. He hadn't really taken the time to fully understand what breaking the curse would mean for Regina. Despite everything she'd done, how she'd treated him and made him feel, she was still the woman who raised him and he did love her. And now he was starting to kind of understand her a little better. He was starting to see why she wouldn't be able to love very well, no on had taught her how.

"You ok kid?" Emma asked Henry while Lucy picked out some dresses and things to try on with Regina's help.

Henry nodded but admitted softly, "I'm worried about my Mom."

Emma gave him a reassuring smile as she put her hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, me too, but she'll be ok."

As if to make Emma's point for her Regina stormed over to them with a sharp, "Ms. Swan." In that moment she was almost the woman she use to be but there was still something a lot softer about her now. "I blame you for this!"

"For what?" Emma asked, rattled a little by Regina's tone of voice.

When Regina moved out of the way Lucy was standing there wearing a black leather jacket with a pink stripe cross the chest, and the biggest brightest smile on her face. Emma couldn't help but return the smile. "Lucy, that jacket is awesome!"

"She insists on getting that one." Regina huffed. "She does the same face Henry does when he wants a new pair of those awful converse shoes."

Henry giggled. "Wow, she learned quick."

Regina glared softly at her son. "Why do I have the feeling that big brother has been starting lessons already?"

The boy blushed. He might have advised his sister while Regina and Emma had been talking, on the best ways to get certain things from their prim mother. "Oh look flannel shirts."

Regina groaned. "Your father has completely undone eleven years of fashion sense in just over a week!"

"Hey, don't knock the flannel until you've actually tried it lady." Emma teased before letting Lucy drag her back to the children's section of the clothing shop. The child was enjoying all the new styles of clothes this world had to offer. They certainly were more comfortable then her normal clothes. Since she had clothes of her own now Lucy didn't have to wear her brother's borrowed sweatpants and t-shirt but she wanted too because they were Henry's. And since Henry was so found of converse that's what she ended up getting too, pink ones to match the stripe on the leather jacket she refused to take off.

They didn't want to over excite or over stimulate Lucy so after they finished shopping they headed back to the mansion. Regina would do the rest of the needed shopping online, but bedroom sets and décor could wait a few days. That evening after dinner Emma and Henry left to spend the night at Emma's apartment, leaving Regina along with her daughter for the first time. Regina was scared, really scared, she hadn't been this scared when Whale was manhandling her and threatening to kill her. She hadn't been a very good mother to Henry and that had cost her. Who would save Lucy if it turned out she just couldn't do this? Henry had Emma. Looking across the room at Lucy, still in her leather jacket, Regina realized Lucy had Emma too.

"Mother?" Lucy said softly when she noticed Regina had returned from cleaning up the kitchen. "Why did Henry and Emma leave?"

"Emma has her own home." Regina answered as she walked over to sit beside her daughter. It stunned and amazing Regina every time she looked at the girl that she was not only alive but that she was such a beautiful blend of herself and Daniel.

"How come Henry went with her?" Lucy asked.

It hurt but Regina answered honestly, "Because she's his mother too and right now it's best if he stays with her."

"Is it because of me?" Lucy asked, her voice laced with a little fear and little pain at thinking she'd some how driven Henry from his home.

"No, darling, of course not." Regina reassured. "It's because of some things I did." Regina sighed softly as she reached out to caress her daughter's face. "Lucy, you're going to hear a lot of things about me, some things won't be true, or they'll be a little bit true, but some will be true. And some of those thing," A lot of those things, "Well, they're not going to be very nice. I promise that I will tell you everything. I will explain the best I can. Just, not right now, ok? Right now I just want to be with you."

Lucy was quick to nod and move closer to her mother. Regina hugged her but then chuckled. "Ok sweetheart. I think it's time we took the jacket off and put it away."

The girl pouted but the look she got from her mother told her not to argue. "Ok, but wait, first." She slid her hand into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out her bootie. Then she took off her jacket and held it out to her mother. Regina's focus was on the bootie. "Mother?"

Regina blinked. "Where did you get that?"

Lucy looked at the bootie and smiled softly. "I've just always had it. Nanny made it. I must have lost the other one when I was a tiny baby." Sticking her fingers into the bootie she pulled out the faded hair ribbon. "Nanny said this was yours. These are what I had of you. Nanny always made sure I knew you loved me."

Tears shimmered in Regina's eyes as she got up from the sofa and disappeared upstairs. When she came back down she sat on the sofa and pulled Lucy onto her lap. That's when she showed her the matching bootie. "Nanny put this in my hand the day I had to leave."

"We each had one." Lucy said in awe. "Nanny was very clever."

Regina laughed as she tried to hide her tears. "Yes, yes Nanny was very clever."

"I bet she knew the Queen would be able to find you." Lucy said with a softly smile while she ran her thumbs over the booties. "And that's why she told me to go to her."

"Lucy." Regina said softly. She paused, pressing her forehead against the back of her daughter's head. She really wanted to say, I am the Queen, but she wanted to put off all of that for as long as she could. "I am really glad Nanny was there to take care of you."

"Yeah." Lucy agreed. "Me too, but I…"

When the girl hesitated to finish her thought Regina encouraged her to go on. "You what darling?"

"I love Nanny." Lucy said before turning on her mother's lap to look at her. "But I wish I'd have been with you for always."

Regina choked back a sob. "I wish I'd have been there for always too my darling, but we can't change the past. What I can do is promise I'll be here for you from now on."

Lucy smiled sweetly and threw her arms around Regina's neck.


	8. Chapter 8

They had known that sooner or later people would work things out and sure enough a week after their return the whispers became a little a louder. Could it be that the child staying with Regina was her daughter? The girl looked a lot like her, and several of the shopkeepers swore that they heard the child call her mother. This of course got the speculation flying and you could almost see random people on the street doing the math in their heads. No one had said anything to Regina, mainly because she stayed in the house getting to know her daughter. No one had dared to ask Emma either because no one could figure out why she was protecting Regina. Regina had tried to poison Emma and had succeeded in killing Henry. He died, maybe only for a few moments, but still he died and Emma wasn't out for Regina's blood? Her voice wasn't the loudest one crying for retribution? How did that make any sense?

Walking into Granny's for coffee Emma made her way over to the counter. Her backside had barely made an impression in the stool when Ruby was suddenly in front of her. Looking up the blonde was about to ask for her order but didn't get the chance.

"Is it true?" Ruby asked as she leaned in close to Emma as if they were sharing secrets, which Ruby was kind of hoping Emma would do.

"Is what true, Rubes?" Emma asked while pointing at the coffee.

Ruby gave Emma a look that told her to stop playing dumb. "The kid stashed up at the mayor's place with the Queen. Is she, ya know, Regina's kid?"

Emma was starting to realize that knowing more about Regina's past helped her to realize that as accountable as Regina was for her actions, she'd also been played. By Cora for sure and she was almost certain by Gold. Maybe if people understood what led to Regina's downfall they would be more willing to give her mercy. "Yeah, Rubes. Lucy is Regina's kid."

The young wolf-woman didn't even try to hide her shock or the flicker of disgust. "And she just left her over there?"

"Didn't happen like that." Emma said. "Regina was told Lucy died shortly after birth. She had no idea Lucy was growing up hidden away in the borderlands."

Ruby listened to Emma's story and at some point Granny had joined them. "There were a lot of those in my generation."

"Lot of those what?" Rudy asked her grandmother.

"Women seduced by magic and power." Granny said in revulsion. "Women, hell men too for that matter, that would sell their souls for it. Couldn't or wouldn't be happy with their lots in life and didn't care who they ruined to get what they thought they deserved."

"Cora didn't just sell her soul for it." Emma said sadly. "She sold Regina's."

"You know who that makes her right?" Henry asked as he walked up to them. "The Miller's Daughter from the original Rumplestilskin story."

"Which means Regina's the baby he was promised." Ruby said as it clicked with all of them.

Granny snorted. "No wondered she's so twisted and messed up."

Emma shot Granny a look. Henry was sitting there and she didn't want people trash talking Regina in front of him. While she and Henry had breakfast Henry showed her his new notebook. He'd been making a list of who was who. "So the D.A. is King George?"

"Yeah, Mom helped me with some of these. As soon as she told me I told Gramps." Henry replied. "King George wasn't a very nice man back FLT."

"FTL?" Emma asked with a soft snort. "And he isn't a very nice man here either. I've met him." When her cell phone rang she pulled it out of her pocket and answered it, a slight chuckle still lingering in her voice. "Hello? No, nothing really, yeah, sure. Where are you going? That's good, Regina. I think it'll help. We'll be over in twenty minutes."

"We're going to Mom's?" Henry asked.

Emma nodded. "Yeap."

"Can we stop home first?" Henry asked. "I want to get the game I got for me and Lucy to play."

Emma laughed. "Tired of getting beat in chess?"

"Yes." Henry said unashamedly.

The only reason she was doing this was because she couldn't stop hearing herself telling Henry "I don't know how to love very well." Her children, Henry and Lucy, they deserved a mother who could love them the way a mother was suppose to love. So she'd called Archie and very disgruntledly asked for an appointment. The only reason she thought this would even work is because over the last week as she watched Lucy adjusting to life here, adjusting to her, she saw this kind of purity in the girl's eyes when she looked at her that Regina hadn't seen since, well, since Daniel. It was an untainted look of pure affection. It kind of reminded her, painfully so, of how Snow had once looked at her, and how Henry had once looked at her. Regina wanted to be able to keep a least a little bit of that look in Lucy's eyes and to do that she needed to be able to honestly tell her daughter she wasn't the person she use to be, the person Lucy would sooner or later learn she was.

More then twenty minutes after Regina called Emma to ask her to stay with Lucy the blonde finally knocked on the door. "You're late Ms. Swan."

"Sorry." Emma said as she and Henry stepped into the house. "Had to stop and pick up Monopoly. Henry's ego can't take another chess game."

Henry held up the Star Wars edition of the game and smiled sweetly.

It was impossible to even feign annoyance when Henry was smiling at her like that. Regina rolled her eyes and let just the corner of her lips tick into a smile. "Very well. I'll over look it this time."

"Where is the little chess shark?" Emma asked as she followed Regina into the house.

"Getting dressed." Regina answered. "She isn't use to picking out her own things to wear and we're working on matching items."

When Lucy came down again she was wearing a pretty purple sweater dress with a cute thin patent leather black belt. With her hair braided down her back she looked just as one would expect a child of Regina's to look, with one exception, the pink converse sneakers and ankle socks with butterflies on them. "Hi Emma! Hi Henry!"

"Hey kid." Emma said with a bright smile.

Turning to her mother Lucy asked, "Better Momma?"

"Much." Regina said, though she sighed at the shoes. The last three outfits had consisted of mixing and matching various brightly colored tops with leggings, jeans, and a pleated skirt over Henry's sweatpants. Picking up her purse Regina walked over and dropped a kiss on Lucy's head. "I'll only be gone a few hours."

Lucy's bright mood dimmed a little. In the week since she'd arrived she hadn't been away from Regina. It helped that her mother was leaving her with Emma and Henry, but she was still leery about being away from Regina. "Ok."

"Your brother's brought a new game for you to play." Regina said as she dared to drop a kiss on his head as well. "You'll have fun."

"You did?" Lucy asked.

Henry nodded. "Lets go set it up. Emma will play too, won't you Mom?"

Every muscle in Regina's body tensed at hearing Henry call Emma Mom.

Emma nodded. "Sure kid. Just give me a sec to walk your Mom out, ok?"

Henry nodded and took his game and his little sister into the living room. Emma turned to Regina and waited for the other woman to blow up.

Regina didn't blow up. She bottled it up to stew. "I'll be back in two hours at the most."

"Regina." Emma said gently as she followed Regina to the door. The look the brunette gave her made Emma backtrack. Instead of saying anything about Henry she asked, "Do you, um, want to meet us at Granny's for lunch after your appointment?"

Regina took several moments before she replied, "That would be nice."

"Great." Emma said with an uneasy smile. "We'll see you there."

Regina drove into town, parking in her space at town hall. Of course Henry would call Emma mom, she was after all his mother, but it hurt, it hurt a lot to hear him call someone else by that title. Sighing softly she got out of the car and then took a deep breath. It was the first time she'd been in town alone and she was feeling a little apprehensive about being out in the open on her own, not that she let it show. As she came around the building to the front she saw the message boards full of missing posters. She felt, something, she just couldn't quite name the emotion. Walking around the board Regina found herself looking at Jefferson who was staring at a crayon drawn missing poster. Stepping up beside him she looked at it more closely. "Have you seen my Papa?"

Jefferson's jaw clenched.

"You haven't gotten Grace back?" Regina asked as she looked at the tortured looking man.

"I can't." Jefferson said through clinched teeth.

Regina looked at him as if he were truly mad. "Why ever not? No one's standing in your way. She remembers, Jefferson. She's waiting for you."

His answer was clear but who was he angrier at, himself or Regina? "I left her."

"With every intention of returning to her. I'm the one who kept you from doing that." Regina argued. "I'm the one who kept her from you. None of that is your fault, Jefferson. But if you don't go to her now, that is on you. The only one keeping you from Grace now, is you."

"She'll hate me." Jefferson said, his voice full of defeat.

"She won't." Regina reassured. "She loves you Jefferson. She wouldn't have put this up," She reached out to smooth the drawing as it flapped lightly in the breeze. "If she didn't want you back. Children are forgiving, Jefferson. Even if she were angry with you for some reason she will forgive you."

Jefferson looked at her. He was trying to spot her angle in this but he couldn't see an ulterior motive. It was almost as if she weren't the same woman he'd talked to a few weeks before, he just couldn't put his finger on why. "She has a family."

"They were your neighbors. The people you left her with when you went off with me." Regina reached up and took the picture down, handing it to him. "Go pick her up Jefferson. No parent should be kept away from their child."

"Regina." Jefferson said with narrow eyes. "What are you doing?"

Regina smirked. "What I always do, dear. Pointing out other people's faults." Before he could point out otherwise she said, "Now if you'll excuse me. I'm late for a very important date."

Her appointment with Archie went as well as she expected. It was awkward and uncomfortable for both of them, but Archie did his best. He told her that he'd expected some resistance but that in time she would be able to open up more and that it would truly help in the long run. She wanted to throw a fireball at him. As she left the building at the end of her hour she was distracted as she searched for her phone in the depths of her purse. She wanted to call Emma and let her know she was on her way to Granny's. She hadn't seen him, hadn't known he was waiting for her until she felt herself crashing into the brick wall of the building.

"Hello Regina." Whale said as he slammed her against the wall again. "There's no Charmings around to save you now. There isn't a person in this town that would stop me. They all way you dead for what you've done to us."

Regina's first thought as he squeezed her throat was not herself, her safety, but of Lucy and Henry and much to her surprise, Emma. The thought of them spurred her to struggle against him harder, but he had her pinned between his body and the wall, his weight was crushing. As the edges of darkness clouded her vision she thought about never seeing them again, Lucy, Henry, and Emma, and it caused a tear to roll down her cheek.

From one end of the street Grace gasped. "Papa! That's Henry's mom!"

From the other end Red yelled, "Hey! What the hell!"

Whale had been wrong. There were at least two people who would stop him from killing Regina. Jefferson charged him, knocking him to the ground and away from Regina. Red got the brunette just as Regina collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Grace screamed as her Papa fought with Whale, which drew Archie out of his office. "Regina!"

Whale managed to slip away from Jefferson and run. Jefferson let him, but only because of Grace. He went to his daughter to reassure her while Archie and Red dealt with Regina. "Someone should tell the Sheriff."

"Yes." Archie agreed. "Yes, she's at the diner waiting for Regina to join her and the children for lunch."

"Her kids shouldn't see her like this." Red said. She looked at Jefferson and asked, "Help me get her to the B&B? Archie, get Emma."

Jefferson looked at Red with real surprised on his face. "Did you say kids?"

* * *

After winning a ridiculously long game of Star Wars Monopoly Emma stuffed Henry and Lucy into her bug and drove into town. It had been really nice spending the morning with Henry and Lucy, showing the latter how to play the game. She'd been a little worried about Henry and how he'd react about suddenly having to share Regina but the kid stepped up. He really seemed to like Lucy and the girl was just in awe of him.

"Emma," Lucy said from the back seat. "Why is your car a bug? I though the man Momma went to see was a bug."

Regina really needed to stop calling Archie a bug, Emma thought with a roll of her eyes before explaining to the girl what a Volkswagen Beetle was. When Lucy asked if that meant Dr. Hopper was a Volkswagen Beetle Henry explained, "In Fairytale Land Archie's a cricket."

When they got to the diner Lucy was pleasantly surprised to find Snow there. She ran to the woman who helped Emma save her, throwing her arms around her in a hug. "Hi Snow!"

Snow chuckled softly as she hugged back. "Hello Lucy."

"We're meeting Momma for lunch." Lucy informed the woman. "Would you like to join us?"

Snow hesitated. She was still having very mixed emotions when it came to Regina. If it weren't for the three people looking at her, waiting on an answer, Regina would have been dealt with by now, she would have been imprisoned somewhere, locked away powerless and alone. Maybe, if she gave into her anger and hate, Snow would have even agreed to execution. But as angry and hurt as Henry was, deep down he loved his mother, and Lucy, that poor little girl had suffered enough in her life. She wasn't about to her see her loose Regina now that she had her. Looking down at the girl Snow could see a light in her eyes that hadn't been there before, a light that had everything to do with Regina.

"I can stay until our order is ready." Snow agreed as she and Lucy joined Emma and Henry in a booth. "James and I are meeting with Blue to discuses the mayorship of the town."

Emma narrowed her eyes at Snow. "Shouldn't you be including Regina in that?"

"No, because we're deciding wither or not we want her to step down." Snow said honestly.

While his mother and grandmother glared at each other Henry distracted Lucy by asking, "What do you want for lunch, Lucy?"

"I don't know." Lucy said as she looked over the menu. "I don't know what any of this is. What do you think I should have?"

"Well, I like the hamburgers and the wings." Henry replied. "The hot dogs are good too."

Lucy gasped, her eyes going wide as she looked at her brother with horror. "You eat dogs in this land!?"

The utter outrage in the girl's voice caught Emma and Snow's attention. "No, Lucy, there's no dog in hot dogs. That's just what their called." Emma tried to explain. Snow jumped in by telling her they were a sausage, similar to some thing she would be familiar with. Lucy accepted the explanation but refused to ever eat one. When Emma ordered wings for the table Lucy picked up a leg and blinked. "You must have very tiny chickens in this land."

That made Henry stop and think. "Wait, were do these come from?"

Neither adult got the change to answer because Archie came in looking shaken. "Emma, a word, please."

His expression and tone had Emma jumping from her seat and telling the kids to stay put. Snow couldn't help but follow. Archie told them that Whale had attacked Regina, and Emma's whole body tensed up. "Where is she? Is she alright?"

"Ruby and Jefferson took her to the B&B." Archie said softly. "She was unconscious and we thought it best the children didn't see her."

Emma turned to her mother, "Keep an eye on Henry and Lucy."

"Emma." Snow protested.

"Lucy doesn't know anyone else." Emma reminded her. "I'll be back after I deal with this."

She followed Archie around back to the B&B. When she got up to the room Red had taken Regina to, Granny was there looking her over. Emma felt relief when Granny said Regina would be all right.

"Who the hell is he?" Granny asked when she stepped out into the hall, leaving Emma with Regina.

"He isn't from our land." Red replied.

"As far as I know, he isn't from Wonderland either." Jefferson added.

The ugly bruise on Regina's neck caused such a strong rush of anger in Emma that it was nearly frightening. In fact when she came out into the hall after looking over the brunette herself Granny, Red, and Jefferson all stepped back from her. She turned those angry green eyes on Archie, "Stay with her. I'll be back."

It figures that Whale would be arrogant enough to go back to the hospital. Emma stormed in, walked right up to him, grabbed him and slammed him into a wall before pressing the point of her sword against his throat. "What part of leave Regina alone didn't you understand?"

Whale's lip curled into a snarl. "She needs to be punished for what she did to us!"

"And she will be but not by you." Emma growled as she broke skin enough to make him bleed.

"I've already told you people I don't recognize the authority of your parents!" He told her. "They are not my…"

"Yeah yeah, I've heard it." Emma said as she dropped her sword only to pull her gun. "Thing is, you're in my land now, asshole. You're under arrest for assault and attempted murder. Hands on your head and turn around." They glared at each other for a moment before Emma said, "Go ahead give me a reason to shoot you because right I really want to shoot you."

Emma was less then gentle in her handling of Whale. This wasn't Fairytale Land or any other storybook world this was the real world. People couldn't go around acting like they were still in those lands. She would have arrested anyone for assaulting anyone else, but because he'd attacked Regina she was taking it personally.

"Someone will get to her." Whale said as Emma slammed the cell closed. "She will pay for what she's done."

"Why are you so obsessed by this?" Emma asked and then changed her mind. "Ya know what, I don't care. I'm not going to let you or anyone else take matters into their own hands. No one is hurting Regina."

When Emma got back to Granny's Regina was awake and in a seriously foul mood. She could hear the woman picking on poor Archie as she came up the stairs. Her voice was raspy from being choked but every ounce of her tone was Mayor Mills. "Regina, leave him alone." She ordered as she came into the room. "I asked him to stay with you until I go back from dealing with Whale."

There was relief in Regina's eyes as she took Emma in but that was quickly replaced by annoyance. "Why aren't you with the children? Where are they? What have you done with my children?"

"Oh knock it off, Regina." Emma replied as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I just checked on them. They're with my mother finishing up lunch at the diner."

Regina narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to tell Emma off but then stopped and simply huffed at her.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked. "Do you need to see a doctor? It's ok to go to the hospital. I got Whale in a cell."

"I'm fine, Ms. Swan." Regina said. "What I need is to see my children."

"Ok." Emma agreed. "But two things first, one you've got a pretty nasty bruise on your neck they're going to ask questions about and two, stop with the Ms. Swan shit. My damn name is Emma."

Regina reached up to touch her neck. She figured it was bruised, her throat hurt like hell. It wouldn't be good for Henry or Lucy to see this. "Hand me by purse," Regina demanded. "Emma."


	9. Chapter 9

Since being asked, asked was putting it nicely, to leave the mayor's office Regina needed to find something else to do. She didn't really mind loosing control of the town because it meant she got to be with Lucy more. Her daughter was adjusting to life with her here in this strange new land, and she was learning how to be a mother, a real mother. It wasn't easy on either of them or Henry. There were moments when Regina would react to something the way she use to, she would be to sharp with one of them or she would fall back into being condescending. When pressed she would become possessive, clashing with Emma over Henry and even Lucy from time to time. A few times she was even a little aloof, but those times normally happened after a run in with the town's adults, which left her feeling old negative emotions she wanted to keep away from her children. When she did those things it would hurt Henry the most because he saw her slipping back into her old ways, and he would punish her by refusing to see her. He was still living with Emma full time and it bothered Regina that she'd been downgraded to the parent with visitation.

It also bothered her that Lucy turned to Emma as much as she turned to her. There were times, as they adjusted to their roles as mother and child, that a disapproving look from her mother would simply crush Lucy, sending her to Emma for comfort. Her insecurities had a strong hold on the girl and Regina wished she could just make them disappear, but she couldn't. Those insecurities, both Lucy's and Regina's, made things that much harder. But then there were the moments that showed Regina that things were changing, that she was changing, and everything would be all right. Henry would call her out of the blue and ask if they could have lunch together, and she'd get to spend an hour with him, listening to his stories and seeing his smile. She would be sitting in her study, frustrated and angry at being forced out of her role as mayor, and then suddenly the sound of Lucy's laugh would drift into the room and nothing else mattered. It was just as Daniel had said it would be. The littlest things, a smile, a sleepy goodnight momma, a hug, and Regina's eyes would lit up and she would remember what it was like before magic, before the dark.

Her children weren't the only lights in the dark. Despite the clashes over Henry, and flashes of jealously over Lucy, Emma had become a part of her life that Regina looked forward to. One of the things she missed most about being mayor was the excuse it gave her to pop in on Emma. Their encounters, though they were often about bitching at each other, had become something Regina looked forward too. She missed those moments were they weren't just working out their complicated co-parents relationship. Which is why Regina couldn't help but smile when she suddenly heard Emma's voice.

"Wow, Regina this place looks great." Emma said as she stepped into the empty stable Regina was standing in.

Since deciding that Lucy was ready to try going to school Regina had needed something to keep herself busy, to give her a sense of purpose outside of being a mother. So she'd taken on the task of renovating the old Storybrooke Stables. It hadn't been an easy choice, Daniel's death had tainted her love of all things equestrian, but the Bug had finally be somewhat helpful when he'd made her realize Daniel wouldn't want his memory tainting things in a bad way, that it would be honoring him in fact if she went back to doing what she so enjoyed doing. Looking up from the blueprints she had spread out on a stack of hay bails she replied, "It's coming along. Is there something I can do for you, Emma? Or are you here as Sheriff Swan? Come to check to make sure I'm not up to something I shouldn't be?"

"I just dropped Whale off at the mines." Emma replied. It was decided that for his attack on Regina Whale would be spending the foreseeable future living in a cell and working in the dwarfs' mines. He wasn't happy about it, but Grumpy loved having someone to boss around. "And I saw your car so I thought I'd stop."

Regina crossed her arms and gave Emma a look. When she'd first mentioned reopening the stables Emma was quick to say that there was no way she was ever getting her on a horse, so she knew Emma hadn't stopped to check on how things were going.

"Ok, ok, there are actually two reasons I stopped." Emma gave in with a coy smile. "One, I don't know about you but I could really use a few hours of adult conversation and since the kids are going to that all night movie reward thing at the school, I thought maybe I'd see if you wanted to have dinner. And two, they want you to come to the council meeting on Saturday."

Emma's first question caught Regina off guard but the second derailed her train of thought before she could fully analyze Emma's invitation. A flicker of uncertainty and anger reared up in Regina. Every time she was "asked" to one of these meetings another sanction was leveled at her. "Have they finally decided to take my home from me?" Regina asked, her fear and anger lashing out at Emma. It was incredibly hard on her to let other people make choices about her life, and it often got the worse reactions from her. "They've taken my job, my title, I've been forbidden to use magic, and I'm treated like a prisoner in the town I once controlled. My movements, my actions, are watched like I'm a child, but Rumple's allowed to go about as he wishes. Why not take my home as well, force me into a dump, out of sight of all those who might be offended by my presence. Hell, why not go all the way and actually put a giant scarlet letter on my chest, a great big E for evil, no need for a Q since I'm no longer a queen, despite having earned that for marrying that dreadful old man." Regina shuddered. "I should have been left with at least my title for having to go to that man's bed."

"Are you finished?" Emma asked once Regina seemed to be done with her rant. Regina nodded so she said, "They don't want you to come to the meeting to punish you. It's just the opposite. They've finally figured out that running a town that's part of larger government, that's part of an even larger government, is nothing like ruling a kingdom where you pretty much own everything from the land to the people on it. Regina, they need your help."

A dark eyebrow rose while just the hint of a smirk appeared on Regina's lips. "And how did they come to the conclusion that they needed my help?"

"Might have nudged a little." Emma said with a shrug.

Now Regina really was smirking. "I will consider making an appearance on Saturday if I have nothing better to do that is."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Ok. So, wanna meet at Granny's? Say six-thirty?"

"You do know that Storybrooke has other places in which to eat, don't you?" Regina teased.

"Yeah," Emma answered. "I've ordered pizza and take out."

Regina groaned. "Oh Emma, you have been greatly deprived." She shook her head disapprovingly. "I will pick you up at seven. Wear a dress."

"A dress?" Emma croaked out while crinkling her nose.

"You did say you wished for adult conversation, yes?" Regina replied. "Well, why not have it in a more adult setting."

Emma raised a questioning eyebrow but then just shrugged and said, "Ok, sure. See you then. Henry and James will be by around six to pick up Lucy."

Five minutes before six Regina's front door opened and Henry came barreling in. "Mom?"

Regina was smiling as she came out of the study. "Hello sweetheart. Oh, you go your hair cut." She cooed as she cupped his face and smiled a little more. "Very handsome. And is that cologne I smell?"

Henry blushed. Grace would be at there tonight but he wasn't going to say that out loud. "Thanks. Is Lucy ready?"

When James walked in they exchanged pleasantries before Regina replied, "She was ready yesterday afternoon." Regina chuckled before going to the stairs. "Lucy, come down. Your charming escorts are here."

Moments later Lucy came down with her overnight bag and sleeping bag. "Bye Momma."

Regina watched as the girl dashed for the door and chuckled. "Is that all I get? Bye Momma?"

"Oh!" Lucy gasped as she dropped her things and ran over to give Regina a hug. "Better?"

"Much." Regina said before dropping a kiss on the girl's head. "Have a wonderful time and be a good girl." She looked up at her son with a smile, "Same goes for you."

"Ok but can I be a boy instead?" Henry teased.

Regina rolled her eyes. After the kids were off for their movie night Regina headed upstairs to get dressed for dinner. She focused on getting dressed, pulling something new out of her closet, a long sleeved ponte knit dress in dark navy that had been in her last order from Neiman Marcus before everything went to hell and back. She used picking out the prefect pair of strappy heels, and accessories, and doing her hair and make up just right as a distraction from thinking about what she was doing. Because if she stopped to think about what she was doing she would realize her actions resembled those of preparing for a date, and this wasn't a date. What this was, was two mothers taking advantage of a childfree evening to enjoy a more adult atmosphere, or at least that's what she was telling the butterflies in her stomach so they'd stop fluttering around.

It was pretty much the same thing Emma kept muttering to herself as she slipped on a pomegranate colored side-draped flutter sleeve dress that seemed better then the four other dresses she'd tried on since Henry left the apartment. It had taken her well over a week to convince herself it was a good idea to ask Regina if she'd like to have dinner. She had herself convinced that she wanted to spend time with Regina one on one because it would help them somehow be better co-parents. It was just too strange to think that she wanted to spend time alone with Regina because she liked being around Regina. Emma had done some experimenting in her past. She wasn't going to lie and say she didn't find women attractive. But this was Regina; this was the Evil Queen who'd torn her mother's life apart. But then again, this was also the woman who Emma watched struggle everyday to find her way in the world, to make up for the bad things she'd done, and try to get back to the person she was before her life had gone down such a dark road.

At seven o'clock exactly there was a knock on Emma's apartment door. It took her a full thirty-seconds of standing there with her hand on the knob before she opened it. Both women let their eyes do a quick roam over the other before Emma finally said, "Hi, you look great, give me two seconds."

Before Regina could respond Emma was dashing back upstairs to get her shoes, giving them both a moment to clear their heads. They had both found themselves rather breathless at the appearance of the other when that door opened. As the blonde descended the stairs Regina let herself take Emma in a little more slowly then before. There was a soft smile on her lips as she said, "You clean up well, Ms. Swan, you look very nice this evening."

Emma couldn't stop the bright smile Regina's words caused. "Thanks. It's been awhile since I've dressed up like this. I'd almost forgotten I was girl."

Dark eyes stole a quick glance at pale cleavage. Yes, certainly a girl, Regina thought before asking, "Ready?"

The restaurant Regina took them to was a little bistro that did half a rotating menu to draw people in, and half a menu of strictly French foods because the chef had once worked in Regina's castle as her personal cook and was from the region of the kingdom this world had translated into France. Despite what she'd done there were still people in town that were loyal to Regina. So when she walked in it wasn't a surprise to find the chef waiting to greet her.

"Ahh my Queen." The dark gray haired man said as he bowed, taking Regina's hand and kissing it. "You humble me with your presence."

Regina smiled affectionately at him. "Remy, I am no longer queen, I'm not even the mayor anymore."

Remy stood, still holding Regina's hand lightly; he shot a glare at Emma before turning to smile at Regina. "You will always be my Queen." He bowed once more and said, "Come, I will show you to your table."

Once they were seated and left alone to look over a wine list Emma asked, "Remy? He wasn't a mouse in FLT was he?"

"You watch to many of those highly inaccurate animated movies." Regina scolded lightly. Regina had a serious hate on for all things Disney over their interpretation of her story.

"So, he wasn't a mouse?" Emma repeated.

Regina rolled her eyes. "No, Emma, he was not a mouse."

Mouse or not Remy's food was amazing. They didn't actually order anything. He'd taken it upon himself to create a personal menu following Regina's call that afternoon. Most of what was brought out to them Emma had no clue about, but tried it all anyway and to her surprise loved every one of them. Better then the food was the company. Emma had never seen Regina so relaxed. They talked and Regina even laughed softly a time or two. After dinner they ended up on Regina's sofa with a bottle of wine. Fueled by the wine and relaxed setting of Regina's dimly lit living room both women worked up the courage to ask questions and talk about things neither would have before.

Reaching up Emma finally allowed herself to do something she'd caught herself thinking about doing for a while now, she brushed her thumb over the scar on Regina's lip. "How did that happen?"

"My mother and magic." Regina said softly. "I was about Henry's age. She was trying to trigger a magical reaction from me, but I hated magic, I couldn't do it, I didn't want to do it. She was so disgusted with me after that she avoided me for two weeks, not that I minded, I liked being with Nanny and my father better anyway."

Another glass of wine and Regina was asking, "What of Henry's father?"

"He blew in and out of my life like a hurricane." Emma said with a shrug. "The best thing to come out of that relationship was Henry." For the first time Emma told the truth about Henry's father and at the end of she said, "He's better off thinking his father's a hero."

"Even if lying to him comes back to bite you?" Regina asked softly.

"I don't want to think about it." Emma said, and then quickly turned the tables on Regina. "What about Daniel? Snow told me what happened to him. She said that Cora…"

"Murdered him?" Regina nodded her head. "She did. She tore his heart from his chest and I'd wished so hard in that moment that she would rip mine out as well. Turns out she did, nine months later."

Emma saw the raw pain in Regina's eyes and reached out to her. She wrapped her free hand around Regina's and gave it a squeeze. "Hey, she's back in that other world. She can't hurt you anymore. She can't get to your castle or the mirror and even if she could it's shattered." She paused a moment before adding, "And if by some fluke of a chance she manages to find her way here, you won't have to face her alone. I don't mind kicking an old woman's ass."

That made Regina snort in a very unladylike but very cute way. "Are you offering to be my white knight, Ms. Swan?"

Emma blushed. "Maybe." She replied before once again changing the subject. "So, you and Daniel. How you meet him?"

* * *

_Regina absolutely loved the new horse her father had given her for her eighteenth birthday. He was strong, a young thoroughbred with a mahogany coat that matched the color of her eyes and a look about him that said despite being a young horse he knew more then the young human ever would. She adored him, and he her. Alone in the stables Regina laughed softly as Regal nuzzled her with his nose while she was trying to comb out his mane. She scolded him lightly but he knew she didn't mean it. She was just pushing his nose away yet again when she heard a softly muffled, "Damnit." From outside the stable. It was a voice she didn't recognize so of course she had to see who it was. _

_Stepping out of the stables she saw a young man, a very handsome young man, who looked to be struggling with carrying a saddle and several sets of carriage reins. Normally Regina, much to her mother's disapproval, would have offered to help but she was to busy looking this new person over. _

_Daniel looked up from where he'd dropped the tack and blow out a breath that made his bangs flap. In hind sight trying to carry it all at once might have been a bad idea, but his new employer didn't' seem the type to be lenient even with a new boy. When he turned to see how far off he was from getting to the tack room he caught sight of Regina. She stood there with a soft smile on her lips, dressed in tan riding britches and a soft green riding coat. Her long dark hair was braided and hanging over her shoulder, tied off with a ribbon that matched the coat. Her eyes were so bright despite their dark color that he couldn't help but smile before his senses kicked in. "Oh, Lady Regina," He gave her a bit of a clumsy bow. "Is, is there something I can do for you?" _

_Regina couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the unknown boy who clearly knew who she was. "No, thank you. I'm more then capable of tending to things around here myself. You on the other hand look as though you might need some help." _

_The way her voice lifted at the end told him she was asking his name. "Daniel malady. I'm the new stable boy your father hired. And, no, I have this but thank you." Daniel replied, a little surprised that the girl would even offer. _

_Of course Regina ignored him. She walked over and picked up the reins he'd dropped, giving them a bit of a shake to untangle them. "These are off the Friesians that draw my Mother's carriage. Is she back from her trip?" _

_Daniel nodded. "Just arrived malady." _

_Regina managed not to show her disappointment. She loved her mother but things were so much more enjoyable when she was away. "You'll want to keep an eye on Coal's left front hoof. He had an injury over the winter. He shouldn't have been used but Mother insists on that particular team." _

"_I will malady." Daniel said as they took the gear to the tack room. "Thank you." _

_After helping Daniel put the tack away Regina went back to Regal. Moments later Daniel walked in and just paused to watch her. It was clear the young noblewoman knew a thing or two about horses. "He's beautiful." _

_Regina beamed proudly. "He was a gift from my father." _

"_Well he's a very lucky horse to have someone like you light up over him the way you just did." Daniel said with brave but shy smile. _

_They chatted for several minutes, both carefully and innocently flirting, until a footman came to inform Regina that her mother was looking for her. Reluctantly Regina handed over Regal's care to Daniel. "Don't worry malady I'll take good care of him." _

_Regina smiled, a beautiful happy smile. "I'll see you tomorrow Daniel. I always go riding before lunch." _

_Daniel returned her smile. "I'll make he's ready for you." _

* * *

The sound of the door opening and closing and the clapping of sneakers on expensive floors woke Emma from her deep wine induced sleep. The chatter from the foyer was like elephants in her head and she groaned. Sitting up, very slowly, Emma blinked blurry eyes, as she looked around the room. It took a minute but finally it started to sink in. She was in Regina's living room, on Regina's couch, still wearing her dress. They'd kicked their heels off when they'd settled on the sofa to have a glass of wine, but the blanket that was covering her was new. Regina must have covered her up after she'd passed out. Emma moaned again. She'd fallen asleep right in the middle of a conversation that came from Regina's apologizing to her for Graham. Well that was tactful and supportive. Emma groaned again.

Henry and Lucy rushed into the living room to see if their mother was there only to find Emma. Henry blinked and then smiled brightly. "Hi Mom."

Emma moaned. "Hi."

"Emma?" James asked in shock after taking in his daughter's appearance, the rumpled cocktail dress, the disheveled hair, and clearly drink induced red eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Emma grunted. "Wishing you'd stop yelling. Really shouldn't have had that last few glasses of wine."

James took in his daughter; the two wine glasses and the empty bottles and demanded, "What happened here last night?"

Regina couldn't help herself as she walked in with a glass of water and some aspirin. Unlike Emma she'd been able to change since she'd gone up to bed shortly after the blonde had passed out. She'd been in the kitchen with the trio entered the house. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Regina."

"Did you and Momma have a sleep over, Emma?" Lucy asked as she plopped down on the couch beside the blonde.

Emma chuckled after swallowing the aspirin and downing the water. "Something like that."

The look on James' face was almost comical.

Since Henry was spending the day with Regina and Lucy and she didn't have her car with her Emma let James take her home. She could tell he had questions but had no idea how to ask, and that suited her just fine because she didn't feel like answering. Snow on the other hand didn't have an issues with following Emma up the stairs to her room after James told her about finding Emma on Regina's couch. Emma told her mother that she and Regina had dinner and spent the evening talking over a couple of glasses of wine and the look on Snow's face when she was finished made her blink. "What?"

"You went on a date with Regina?" Snow asked with a clear mix of shock and appall.

"No." Emma snorted. "It wasn't a date."

"You asked her out to dinner, she picked you up and took you to a bistro, you had a private table, and you finished off with wine in front of the fire." Snow said, condensing the story she'd just heard. "Emma, that was a date."

Emma blinked. Shit, that did sound like a date.

"Emma!" Snow scolded. "You can not date Regina!"

That snapped Emma out of her thoughts and she glared at her mother. "Why the hell can't I? Not that I am, but you don't get to say who I can and can't see."

"Why not?" Snow replied with a shocked look. "Well let's see, where to start? How about the fact that she was once married to your grandfather?"

"Loveless marriage of inconvenience." Emma replied. "Come on Mary Margaret look at that sensibly? A middle-aged man marries a nineteen-year-old girl he doesn't even know? Even with the whole he was trying to give you a mother a thing, it's creepy and kind of shady."

"Emma!" Snow gasped and then she huffed softy. "Ok, how about the whole Evil Queen hell bent on ruining my life? The curse? The way she treated Henry? The way she treated you?"

"Look." Emma said as she looked into her mother's eyes. "Regina and I aren't dating. We are however raising our son together so like it or not she's in my life. And ya know what, despite all the bad shit, I like Regina. I like the good I see her trying to be and I understand how hard it is to do that while dealing with the crap that happened in the past."

There was a long pause, Emma could see Snow thinking so when Snow opened her mouth again Emma said, "If your next point is going to be about Regina being a woman, then you should know, she wouldn't be my first."

And with that Emma grabbed her leather jacket and walked out of her room, and then out of the apartment because she really needed to think. She needed to think about the fact that she really liked the idea of last night being a date, and about how she wouldn't mind doing it again, and about how if it was a date she'd totally cheated herself out of a goodnight kiss by passing out on expensive wine.


	10. Chapter 10

She sat on the cold marble floor, her knees drawn to her chest, with her back pressed against her father's tomb talking to Henry senior as if the man sat beside her. Regina poured her heart out to her father, knowing that what she revealed to him would be kept secret. She told him about his grandchildren and what her life was like now, and about feelings she was having that confused her. Emotions she was having a hard time recognizing because it had either been such a long time since she felt them, or because she had never felt them before at all. Emotions that were tied to a certain blonde who continued to be a pain in her ass and yet could bring Regina such happiness with just a simple smile. Regina groaned and dropped her head to her knees.

"I wish you were here to hold me, Daddy." Regina said softly. "I wish you could tell me what to do about her."

Walking up the path Snow could see Regina inside the mausoleum. She surged forward ready to tell the evil queen off for breaking her parole, Regina wasn't allowed unsupervised access to her vault, but suddenly stopped. There was just something about the way Regina sat there that wouldn't let Snow disturb her, so she waited. She stood there until Regina had come outside and closed the doors behind her before making her presence known. "What are you doing here Regina?"

Anger flashed in Regina's eyes at the sight of the woman standing a few feet from the marble steps. How dare Snow spy on a private moment that like! But Regina managed to keep her cool, coming across very aloof as she replied, "This is still my father's tomb, Snow, and today would have been his birthday. I have a right to pay my respects. You can check the seal on the vault if you'd like, it's unbroken."

Now that she was closer to Regina Snow could see the redness in her eyes from shed tears. "I'm sorry." She said gently. "I liked your father. He was a kind and gentle man."

Regina gave a weak watery smile. "He tried." Yes, Henry senior tried, but the truth was he was a weak man to afraid of his wife to be the father he should have been, the father Regina needed him to be, but she didn't love him any less for that. She adored him, and as she began realizing what it was she regretted about her past, his death she regretted the most. Though unlike most of her other regrets this one was soothed knowing that he'd given up his life hoping to give her a better one. "Is there a reason you're here, Snow? Or have you just taken to following me around town waiting to catch me at something evil?"

"We need to talk." Snow said, snapping back into the frame of mind that sent her looking for Regina in the first place.

"And what pray tell dear Snow do we have to talk about?" Regina asked, as she looked Snow in the eyes. It took a lot for her not to cross her arms over her chest but she didn't want to assume a defensive stance just yet. She would hear Snow out and then decide if she needed to get defensive.

Snow looked right back at Regina. "Emma." She said firmly. Since confronting Emma about the non-date date, her daughter refused to talk to Snow about Regina, which meant she also refused to listen. Snow had no choice but to go to Regina herself. "Whatever it is you're planning, Regina, whatever way you think you're going to use my daughter to get back at me, you need to stop. I know we haven't really dealt with our issues, we've just sort of come to a silent but mutual agreement to tolerate each other because of Henry and I suppose Lucy as well, but I thought that meant we'd called a truce. And in the spirit of that truce I'm coming to you first, one on one, to ask you to stop it."

Regina looked genuinely confused. "What on earth are you talking about, dear? Stop what?"

"Whatever it is you're doing to make Emma think she has romantic feelings for you." Snow said.

The shock of Snow's words washed over Regina so strongly that there was no hiding it. Emma had feelings for her? Emma was having romantic feelings for her? The same kind of romantic feelings Regina was having, or more to the point struggling against, for Emma? It had been so long since Regina had felt any kind of real emotion that it was hard for her to comprehend them, but as she repaired her relationship with Henry, as she built her relationship with Lucy, she was slowly starting to remember what love felt like. It was wonderful! It was also terrifying because opening the door to love again meant dealing with her grief over Daniel, and dealing with her grief and the pain of loosing him was slowly opening up space in her heart. Space that fluttered with anticipation at the thought of possibly being filled by love for Emma, and space that longed to be filled by love from Emma. But that was impossible because Emma could never love her. Plus, Regina wasn't entirely sure she had a complete grasp on the whole loving thing yet anyway.

And yet there stood Snow telling her that Emma was having romantic feelings towards her. Could it be possible? Could Emma really be struggling with the same emotions she was? Could Emma Swan love her?

"Oh my god." Snow said as she watched Regina's face, her eyes. "You didn't know." She watched Regina's eyes carefully and that's when she saw it and it made her eyes go wide with surprise. There was a flicker of emotion in Regina's eyes that reminded Snow of that evening when Regina explained true love to her, a flicker though hidden that was far brighter than what she'd seen Regina feel for Daniel. "You have feelings for Emma!"

She did. She had feelings, real feelings, for Emma. And it looked like Emma returned those feelings. Regina needed to be a lone. She needed to think. Without a word to Snow she turned and began walking way.

"Regina!" Snow called after her but Regina kept walking. "Regina!"

* * *

_The sun was warm even if the air was chilled with an autumn breeze. There was a crisp sweet scent in the air as they walked through the orchard that kept a smile on Regina's face. Though that smile could just as easily be from all the time she was spending with the stable boy, Daniel. He treated her in a way that made her feel like she was special, like she mattered, like she was a person. She explained all of this to her companion as they walked and her smile easily appeared on his face as well. _

"_Oh my god." He said with a gentle chuckle as he pulled Regina closer to his side. "You're falling for the stable boy." _

_Regina gasped. "I am not!" She thumped him in the chest to emphasize her point. "He's just nice to talk to!" _

_Jefferson laughed. "And talk about apparently. You've done nothing for the last hour but talk about Daniel the stable boy." _

_Dark eyes narrowed and then Regina huffed indignantly. _

"_The fact that your acting like a spoiled brat right now means I'm right." Jefferson teased. "You only act like a little brat with me when I've said something or done something you don't like." _

"_I'm not acting like a brat." Regina huffed. "You're being an ass." _

_Jefferson laughed again. "Regina! Such language. Keep it up and you'll be more like me than is best for you." He pulled her close again; squeezing her with the arm he had around her. "Come on, tell me, why is it such a bad thing to have feelings for someone who makes you feel the way he makes you feel?" _

_Regina sighed as she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked slowly among the trees. "Because that isn't how things work, Jefferson." _

"_Why?" Jefferson asked. "Because of who you're expected to be?" _

"_Yes." Regina said. "He's a stable boy. Mother would never allow it. I have to marry…" _

"_How your heart tells you to marry." Jefferson said as he stopped them. He let her go so he could put his hands on her upper arms and turn her so she was facing him. "Regina, there's nothing better than spending your life with the person you love." He smiled at her while reaching up to cup her face as he looked into her eyes. "When you find your true love, when you're together, you hearts beat as one. Their smile lights up you world. Their arms become the safest place for you to be. You don't have to marry for power and position, Regina. Don't let her do that to you. Love him, if that's how you feel about the stable boy, then love him." _

_She looked into his eyes and took in his words, wanting so badly to believe them, but she was afraid too. "That girl of yours has turned you soft."_

_Jefferson laughed and shrugged as he let her go only to put his arm around her again. "That girl of mine happens to be my wife, Regina. And in a few months, the mother of my child." _

_Regina gasped. "Oh Jefferson that's wonderful!" She squealed as she threw her arms around his neck. _

_He hugged her back, he hugged her tight and close, he hugged her as if he were trying to make sure she felt his love and affection for her because he new all to well how starved of it she was. Stepping back he once again looked into her eyes, "You are worth so much more than a bride price, Regina. You're worth loving, you're worth being loved and giving love, and if that comes from a stable boy or a knight it shouldn't matter as long as it's true. You deserve it, Regina; you should be loved and loved well. Don't let anyone, not even her, tell you other wise." _

"_Jefferson…" She replied softly. _

"_No." He said firmly. "Regina, promise me! Promise that if you're ever given a chance to love someone, to be loved by someone, to be happy, you'll take it no matter what. You grab hold of it and never let it go." _

_Regina stood there for a long time before she could finally look up into his eyes and nod. "I promise." _

"_Good girl." He said with a bright smile before leaning in and kissing her cheek. _

* * *

Regina drove out to the stables after leaving the cemetery. She saddled up one of the horses that had just arrived after changing her clothes and set out. She rode as fast and as hard as she could, as fast and as hard as her mind and emotions felt like they were going. She had done so much in the name of revenge, so much evil, and yet the world seemed to be offering her a second chance. Why? Surely she was so far from redemption that in reality she would never be able to reach it. She'd manipulated children, sending them to their deaths at the hands of the blind witch. She'd turned her friend and lover into a dragon and kept her imprisoned deep beneath the town for twenty-eight years. She'd kidnapped and locked away an innocent girl to use her a pawn against Rumple. She killed her father. She killed Graham. Hell, she killed Henry, though that had been an accident. She'd really meant to put Emma to sleep the way she had Snow. What right did she have to love? What right did she have to love Emma? Or to be loved by Emma?

Emma, who'd broken the curse and given her Henry and brought Lucy back to her, Emma, who supported her, who called her out on her crap, who refused to let her get away with anything, but always let her know she'd done well even if it were just with a simple crooked smile. The Savior, the white knight in red leather, the slayer of evil not the true love of evil. But evil wasn't born, it was made, so it could be unmade couldn't it? And who was in more need of a white knight then her?

Regina was so caught up in thinking about how she felt about Emma that she wasn't paying attention. She didn't see the low limb of the tree until it was smacking her in the head, sending her flying from the horse and crashing into the ground.

The last time Emma felt like this she and Regina had been rushing around trying to save Henry. Her heart hurt, she could barely breath, and her mind was a whirlwind. She had gotten a frantic call from Lucy saying Regina wasn't home when she'd gotten home from school. Regina was always home by the time Lucy got home and if by some chance she couldn't be there she called Emma. Emma hadn't heard from Regina in over twenty-four hours. Emma had dropped what she was doing and rushed to Regina's after Lucy's call. Her first priority had been calming the girl down. Once Lucy was calm she left her in Henry's care while she called around town looking for Regina. When that turned up with nothing she called Snow, asking her to come over. When Snow arrived Emma told her Regina was missing and asked her to watch the kids. That's when Snow admitted she'd seen Regina early that afternoon at the crypt.

Emma was less then pleased with her mother. Snow said that she and Regina had had words but wouldn't come right out and admit what those words were about. When Emma confronted her about being the topic of conversation she was both amazed that her mother was looking out for her, and pissed that her mother was butting into her life. She let Snow know that they would be having words of their own when this was over, but for now her focus was on finding Regina. She still didn't trust Gold not to try something, or maybe someone allied with Whale, and what if god help them Cora had found a way over? Jumping into her cruiser Emma's first stop was out at the stables. She didn't know a damn thing about horses but finding a fully saddled and reined horse munching on grass outside the building that held Regina's office seemed really wrong to her. Emma checked the entire area; she found Regina's car, her clothes, the horse, but no Regina. That's when she called Red.

It didn't take long using Red's senses to find Regina unconscious in the woods, a huge gash on her head. She was cold from lying out there for so long in the evening air but she had a pulse. Seeing Regina lying there felt like a knife through Emma's heart. "Ruby! Call an ambulance!" Falling to her knees beside the woman Emma tried to revive her. "Regina, Regina, wake up!" Emma said as she gently tapped Regina's cheek. "Damnit Regina wake up!"

Regina stirred a little but not enough to be considered aware or alert. When the paramedics arrived they had a portable carry stretcher they put Regina on to carry her out of the woods. Once back at the ambulance they were able to assess her better. Emma rode with them to the hospital and on their way there Regina did come to a little. Emma could feel her heart take a beat. "Regina?"

"Emma." Regina said, her voice soft, raspy. "Emma, don't."

"Don't what?" Emma asked as she leaned close.

"Love me." Regina replied. "I'm not worth it. I don't deserve it."

Emma swallowed back a sob. What the hell had Snow said to her? Regina wasn't the vulnerable sort; she was self assured and strong. She should be telling Emma she should be so lucky as to have a chance to love her, not throwing in the towel when they were just realizing there was a towel. "I think you're a little to late, Regina. I'm pretty sure I've already started loving you."

Regina didn't hear Emma's words, she'd passed out again.

* * *

She couldn't cross into the lands belonging to Snow and Regina but others could. Cora simply had to find someone she kind of trusted to fetch what she needed. Walking into what was left of the harbor town she headed for the shambles that use to be the tavern. Walking in she made a face of pure disgust, as she looked the filthy place over. Spotting the man she was looking for hunched over a table she picked up her skirts and made her way over to him carefully. "Well, haven't the mighty fallen."

The man looked up and snarled at the woman. "What do you want woman?"

"I've come to offer you a job." Cora said as she glared down at him.

"Ain't interested." The man replied.

Cora pulled out a handkerchief and dusted off the chair across from the man before sitting down. She looked right into his eyes as she said, "I can pay you handsomely."

"Have you see the world lately you crazy bird?" The man barked a laugh at her. "What good is gold in hell?"

"Well, I wasn't refereeing to paying you in gold." Cora said. "I was thinking more of granting you passage."

"Passage to where?" The man asked.

Cora reached for his arm, the one missing a hand, and lifted it up. "To the place where the man who did this is."

A sneer appeared on the man's face. "Rumplestilskin."

"Yes." Cora purred. "Fetch me what I need and I promise you can come with me."

"Go with you were?" He asked.

"A place called Storybrooke." Cora answered. "He's there and so are my daughter and my granddaughter, and so I've learned my grandson. I can get us there but I need you to bring me something from the Charming Castle."

"What?" The man asked.

"A wardrobe." Cora replied. She gave him a moment to think about it and then said, "So, Hook, interested in the job?"

He looked at her for another long moment. "Where do you want me to bring it?"

* * *

Emma sat at Regina's bedside racking her brain for the moment, that one particular moment, when Regina went from this threat to Henry that she had to get him away from, when she went from the biggest ice blooded bitch she'd ever known, when she went from the evil queen to the person Emma was falling in love with, the person who's laugh made Emma smile, the person she would fight for rather then fight against. When had it all gone topsy turvy? When had she gone from hating the woman to loving her? How did something like that even happen? She couldn't find just one moment; she couldn't find simple answers to any of those questions. It had been many moments. The way Regina reacted when Henry died, and came back. The way she faced that angry mob out for her blood. The way she'd looked in that cell after that thing attack her. The way she'd looked up at her when her touch made Regina's magic work. The way Regina had looked at her from the mirror, the relief she saw there when Regina realized she was all right. It was seeing the courage it took for her to face seeing Lucy and the pure joy that washed over her when she had the girl in her arms again. It was the way Regina tried so hard to make things up to Henry, to show him that she loved him, respected him, and how sorry she was for the making him feel the way she did. It was the way she faced those she'd hurt the most, the people of the town, her parents, and the way she let go of her power though it was a daily struggle. It was the fact that Regina was coming to terms with what she'd done, seeing her slowly feel the remorse for her actions, and struggle to be better than the woman who'd done all that harm. It was the fact that she knew Regina was flawed, broken, and would probably always struggle against her darkness, and she accepted that. She accepted Regina, horns and all.

"Ok, look, I get it." Emma said to Regina as she held her hand and looked at her closed eyes. "This is all kinds of messed up. You're Snow White's Evil Queen and I'm Snow White's daughter. You're the villain and I'm the hero and we shouldn't have these feelings we have for each other. But ya know what?" She paused as if Regina might reply and then continued. "I don't care. I don't give a rat's ass who you're supposed to be and who I'm supposed to be. What I do care about is you, and what I want, is to have the chance to see where we could go with this. So, yeah, you're gonna have to wake up and if I have to kiss you to wake you up I'll do it, but I'd rather kiss you when your awake enough to kiss me back." She paused again, waited but no response, so she stood up and leaned down. "Ok, if this is how you wanna play it."

Emma leaned down and softly pressed her lips to Regina's and much to her surprise Regina responded. The kiss was full of promise and when Emma finally pulled away she was smiling as she stared down into beautiful brown eyes. "How long have you been awake?"

"It was such a pretty speech I wanted to see where you were going with it." Regina replied, her voice raspy from nonuse. She smiled as Emma reached out to brush at her hair, letting herself enjoy the moment, but just the moment because she didn't have the right to more. "Emma…"

"Don't." Emma warned her. "Regina, don't you say it if what you're about to say has anything to do with this sudden self deprecation shit you were spewing while you were in and out of it. I don't know what Snow said to you this afternoon but it was crap, and I'm going to tell her it was crap when I see her."

"She was just protecting you." Regina said softly. "She doesn't want to see you get hurt."

"Do you plan on hurting me?" Emma asked.

Regina shook her head. "No, Emma, I would never intentionally hurt you."

"Is this all part of some plot to get back at my mother?" Emma asked.

Again Regina shook her head. "No."

"Are you doing something to me magically to make me have feelings for you?" Emma asked.

"No." Regina said, offended a bit by that.

Emma smiled. "You're telling the truth. So there's no reason for her to worry."

"Emma…" Regina tried again.

"Oh shut up." Emma replied as she leaned in to kiss Regina again.


	11. Chapter 11

Their first official we-acknowledge-this-is-a-proper-date date was dinner at Tony's the little Italian place on the edge of town. Because both Emma and Regina realized that this was a proper date, and neither had been on one for a while, it was a little awkward at first, but as the evening went on they relaxed and had a really nice time. Emma was very careful about the amount of wine she drank so she did get a goodnight kiss when she dropped Regina off at her house. Their second date was lunch at the lake, and their third was an afternoon at the stables where Emma got her first riding lesson. They were taking things slowly, getting to know each other, but there was no denying that there was an attraction between them. Emma wasn't sure how much longer she could go before taking Regina to bed, especially in those moments, like having Regina pressed up against the wall of the empty stall kissing her until their lungs burned for air. But they were being very cautious about taking that next step for two very good reasons. One, they were both learning how to embrace all these new and powerful emotions, and two when they touched it was literally magic.

When Emma touched her Regina's magic would spark to life for minutes, even hours, and that gave Regina reason to be leery about going further with Emma. She didn't trust herself to have magic. She was on the brink of becoming something close to the person she would have been if not for her mother and Rumple. For the first time ever Regina was happy, she was content, and so close to having her happy ever after that she didn't want to risk it. Magic had a price and she simply wasn't willing to pay that price anymore.

After falling off her horse Regina had been kept overnight for observation and Emma never once left her side. The following evening when she'd been released Emma drove Regina home and that night they talked to Henry and Lucy about some of the things they'd just spent the last twenty-four hours talking about. Both women had been worried about the children's reactions, especially Henry's, but after he'd given it some thought it all made perfect sense to him. The Evil Queen had become evil because of a broken heart. It made perfect sense that the hero, the Savior, would save everyone from the Evil Queen by healing her heart and making her good again. Plus, if his mothers were together he could stop feeling so torn between them. Lucy had been a little confused at first; Cora had kept her very sheltered so she hadn't known that two women could fall in love with each other, but once it was explained to her she was all for it. She loved Emma, and she could see that she made her mother happy even when she was making her mad.

Laying on her mother's bed watching as Regina got ready for the evening Lucy titled her head, which she held propped up in her hands since she was on her tummy, and asked, "Momma, is a ball here different then a ball in the other land?"

Regina was sitting at her vanity putting the final touches on her hair and make and smiled so Lucy could see it in her reflection. "Yes, they're actually quite different. This dance won't be nearly as formal as a ball would be in one of the castles of the old kingdoms."

"Is that why you're wearing the pretty dress instead of a ball gown?" Lucy asked as she turned to look at the black one shouldered formal dress hanging on the back of the closest door. It was slightly sparkly and long, form fitting, with a slit that went to just above Regina's knee. Lucy thought it was very pretty.

"Ball gowns really aren't worn here sweetheart with two notable exceptions." Regina said as she rose gracefully from her seat to retrieve the dress. "Bridal dresses and prom dresses."

"What's a prom?" Lucy asked as she watched her mother put the pretty black dress on.

Regina chuckled and explained the concept of prom to her ever-inquisitive little girl.

Over at Emma's apartment the blonde was pinning her up and slipping into a very sexy twenty's style, very feminine tuxedo suit. The only reasons she agreed to go to this thing was because she and Regina were finally ready to make a pubic statement about their relationship and because her mother had given her those damn big doe eyes when she'd said, "Oh, please, Emma, it'll be fun!"

After strapping on her hells Emma made her way downstairs where she was greeted by her son's, "Grams is going to hate that."

"Yeah, I know." Emma said with a wicked little grin. "What do you think your Mom will think?"

Henry smiled a huge smile. "She'll love it because Grams will hate it."

Emma rolled her eyes and laughed. "Lets get you to your mother's before Archie gets there and your sister starts asking him a million questions about why he wanted to be a cricket."

When they arrived at Regina's Lucy was waiting on them. She'd been sitting on the entry steps with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands watching the door. Her mother looked so beautiful all dressed up that she couldn't wait to see Emma. Needless to say she was more than shocked when Emma showed up in her suit. Emma once again found herself explaining a strange new concept to the girl but their little chat was cut short by the sound of heels on the landing.

Looking up Emma's eyes met Regina's for a long moment before she let them trail down Regina's body. "Whoa, Regina, you look amazing."

Regina smiled as she slowly made her way down the stairs. She loved the feeling of Emma's eyes on her so she was making a show of it. "You look rather glamorous yourself, Emma. I must say I am enjoying the Greta Garbo look."

They greeted each other with a kiss, it was chaste because the kids were watching, but lasted long enough for Henry to snap a picture and then look at them with a cheeky smile when they turned towards him with soft glares. He took another of them facing the camera, and then once Archie arrived they were off with reminders of good behavior, bedtimes, and goodnight kisses and hugs.

The community center had been turning into a ballroom. Most of the town was there. The dance really wasn't about celebrating anything specific, Snow, James and a few others on the council had decided that the town needed something for moral, something that would show them that things were alright and that they should go on enjoying their lives here, a sign that they were still a kingdom loved, loyal and true. Snow and James were already there, talking to their friends and greeting everyone else. There was a lively buzz of chatter mixed into the soft music that was already playing. When the doors opened and Emma walked in with Regina on her arm the room went nearly silent. The Savior and the Evil Queen were the biggest gossip story since Mary Margaret and David.

Emma felt everyone watching and her response to their silent how-could-yous and can-this-be-trues was to slide her arm around Regina's waist as they came further into the room. "You alright?"

"I'm fine." Regina replied while smiling. "They're just peasants, dear."

She could tell by the tone of Regina's voice she meant that as a defense. Thinking of these people, as just peasants would allow her to look past the scornful looks and heated glares. "We don't have to stay long."

"I'm through with hiding away in my house, Emma." Regina said firmly. "Wither they like it or not I am a part of this town. My children live in this town. You live in this town. So my life is in this town. They will just have to deal with it."

Emma couldn't help but smile. Leaning close she placed a kiss on Regina's cheek.

"Snow." James said gently as he put his hand on his wife's arm. "Leave them be."

Snow had a look on her face that resemble someone who's just bitten a lemon. "How can you stand there and not want to say something?"

"And what would that lead to?" James asked his wife. "A scene? Emma storming out and refusing to talk to us?"

"This is wrong James." Snow said in a low, hushed voice. "So very wrong on so many levels."

"Why?" He asked her. "Because they are both…"

"No." Snow said, cutting him off. "If that's what Emma wants then, I don't know, there's Red, or that princess from the far northern kingdom the redhead with all that hair and the accent so think no one could understand her."

James rolled his eyes and then took his wife's hands in his. "We can't control who we're fated to love, Snow. If Regina is, and I'm not saying I believe she is, but if she is Emma's true love, than Emma is as powerless against fighting it as I was against loving you."

"So it's true." Ruby said, as she looked Emma and Regina over carefully. "You two are a thing."

Emma nodded with a smile. "Yeap, we are."

Ruby didn't try to hide the fact that she was a little uneasy about it but after taking some time to really think it over, who was she to judge? She'd murdered hundreds of men in her wolf form; she'd eaten Peter for crying out loud. She didn't have the purity to judge Regina. Ruby gave them a reassuring smile and simply said, "Cool."

After Ruby left Emma set down her drink and held out her hand to Regina. "Would you like to dance?"

Regina looked a little stunned. "Dance?"

Emma laughed. "That is what this is, isn't it?"

"Yes, but, I didn't think…" Regina replied as she slipped her hand into Emma's.

The blonde laughed as she pulled Regina close. "What? That I couldn't dance? Well aren't you in for a few surprises."

Regina's brows went up as she let Emma pull her out to the dance floor. She was in fact very surprised. Emma was a great dancer, very graceful and natural. A little pain of guilt twitched inside as she listened to Emma explain that one of the better sets of foster parents she'd had were an older couple with a dance studio. When she opened her mouth to apologize again for taking Emma from her parents Emma put her finger over Regina's mouth and shook her head before replacing her finger with her lips.

Anyone who wasn't so jaded as to be blinding to it could see the difference in Regina. They could see how happy she and Emma were together. It was just going to take more time for people to really move on from everything that had happened. Even Snow, though she would never admit it out loud, could see Regina was different.

It was late when Emma and Regina got back to the house. They thanked Archie for watching the kids and then headed up to check on them. Henry was curled under his blankets, sound a sleep with a burning flashlight and comic book, which Regina very gently pulled out from under his arm. Lucy was sprawl out diagonally on her stomach with one leg dangling off one side of the bed and an arm off the other. She'd some how managed to contort her blankets so they were draped over her behind, around the arm she had tucked under her pillow and then over her head. Emma looked at Regina as if asking how and Regina simply shrugged. The girl was an active sleeper and was hardly ever in the same position twice in one night. Once they got her back into bed properly they left the room and headed for the stairs but Regina suddenly stopped.

"Emma." She said gently. "Wait." When the blonde stopped on the stairs and turned to look up at her she said, "Stay."

"I wasn't running for the door, Regina." Emma replied. "I thought we were going to have a drink?"

"No, I mean," She hesitated. Watching Emma just now with the kids, thinking about how it felt to dance all night in the blonde's arms, the warmth of her breath as Emma whispered in her ear. It all stirred something inside her and Regina couldn't fight it anymore. "Stay, tonight, with me."

Emma came back up the stairs, moving into Regina's space but not touching her. "Are you sure?"

Regina smiled a slow seductive smile. Reaching up she cupped Emma's face in her hands before leaning in and kissing her. She was encouraged when she let her tongue glide over Emma's lips and the blonde moaned before opening her mouth, their kiss deepening. When she finally pulled away she said, "I'm more than sure."

"What about your magic?" Emma asked in a soft whisper as she pressed her forehead against Regina's.

Regina was quite for a moment before replying, "I didn't have a reason to fight the darkness that came with the kind of magic my Mother and Rumble gave me. I was broken and in pain and I gave into its dark side, but magic can have a light side too. Magic can be good. And whatever magic sparks up from your touch, it comes from a good place Emma, because it comes from you. Plus, I have reasons now, Emma; I have reasons to fight the darkness. I have three very good reasons."

Emma smiled as she caressed her Regina's cheek. That smile grew as she took Regina's hand and led the brunette to the bedroom. As soon as Emma closed the door behind them Regina was pulling her towards the bed using the lapels of her jacket. Undoing the three buttons on the jacket Regina slid her hands under it, pushing it off of Emma's shoulders, and then tossing it over to a chair. Then she pulled the white shirt from Emma's pants before reaching up to undo a button, and than another, before looking into Emma's eyes. What she saw there was staggering. Love, desire, and most overwhelmingly trust. It was almost to much and Regina nearly took a step back, but then she felt Emma's hands glide over her hips, one resting there and the other snaking up her back to the zipper of her dress. As she felt the form fitting material loosen as the zipper was slowly pulled down, Regina went back to undoing the buttons on Emma's shirt.

After she pushed the white fabric from Emma's shoulders, leaving her standing there in her pants and bra, Regina couldn't help but smile as she drank in the sight of Emma. Reaching up she trailed a finger over the freckles that dotted Emma's breasts. Leaning in Regina placed a kiss on each of those freckles before Emma stepped back just enough to let Regina's dress fall to the floor. Regina looked up to met Emma's eyes as she slowly slide the straps of her slip from her shoulders and letting the silk fall to the floor to pool around her feet before stepping out of the puddle of fabric and moving to stretch out on the bed. Emma didn't even blink; she didn't want to break the eye contact, as she unhooked the clasp and zipper on her pants before pushing them down over her hips. In nothing but bra and panties Emma joined Regina on the bed. She let her hand and her eyes caress Regina's body before finally capturing her lover's lips in a passionate, hungry kiss.

Hours later as they lay entangled in each other and the sheet, their skin flushed and glistening with cooling sweat, Regina reached out to play with the swan pendant around Emma's neck. Her mind flashed to just minutes before when she could feel the pendant caressing her skin as Emma moved up her body, kissing, caressing, and tasting until their lips met once more and it made her smile.

"Can I ask you something?" Emma asked softly as she watched Regina run her thumb over the swan on her necklace. When Regina gave her a nod of permission she asked, "Why were you wearing my necklace while I was gone?"

Regina blushed. "It's silly."

"Tell me anyway?" Emma asked as she titled Regina's head up so they could look into each other's eyes.

"It's a thing that some people do sometimes where I'm from." Regina answered. She bit her lip for a moment and then explained, "Sometimes when someone is sent on a quest, a personal one not one for money or fame, the person sending the other person on the quest gives them a token, a personal item to keep with them, to remind them of who they were doing this for."

"Like a knight who ties a ribbon from the queen to his lance or keeps a handkerchief from the princess in his pocket?" Emma asked.

Regina blushed again as she nodded. "Yes, like that."

The smile on Emma's face was radiant. "Does that make you my knight?"

"I don't do armor." Regina replied. The look on Emma's face said she wasn't taking that as an answer. Regina sighed softly, but there was a hint of smile on her face as she said, "Yes, I suppose, for that moment, I was your knight."

Emma sat up, reached behind her neck and unclasped the chain. She motioned with her head for Regina to sit up and then put the chain around her neck and reclasped it. "Then you should wear this so people will know that, to remind everyone in this town, it was you who brought us back."

Regina reached out and pressed her hand against the pendent now resting on her chest and then turned to Emma and said, "I love you."

"I love you too." Emma replied before leaning in and kissing Regina again.


	12. Chapter 12

No one noticed the loud explosive boom or blinding light in the woods just outside the town line of Storybrooke because it was storming. No one noticed the two figures emerge from the trees to stand, protected by magic from the heavy rain, in the middle of the street looking at the sign that read Welcome to Storybrooke. If they had they would have noticed that the man and woman were dressed in clothes from the kingdoms so many of them wished to return to.

"So this is it?" Hook asked. "This is the kingdom of Storybrooke?"

Cora nodded. When Hook surged forward she reached out and grabbed his arm. "Patience Hook. You'll get your crocodile. This land is not like ours. We don't know what to expect just yet."

"I'm not really the lurking in the shadows type, Cora." Hook replied.

"We're not lurking dear boy." Cora said snidely. "But it would be foolish to rush into a situation we are not prepared for. This place is full of… heroes. We need to be cautious."

Hook sighed but agreed. "What's your plan?"

"First, we meet an old friend of mine." Cora said with a twisted grin.

The sheriff's station was dark except for the single desk light at the desk where Watchy the dwarf was sitting through the nightshift with Whale. Normally he was good at staying awake, spending the hours mapping out the mines for the other dwarves, but as he sat there looking over Grumpy's notes he suddenly felt very sleepy.

Once the dwarf was out cold a dark purple, almost black, swirl of magical smoke appeared near the cells. When the smoke evaporated Cora was left standing there with her arms crossed and a very displeased look on her face. "I'm disappointed Victor. This is not how I imaged I'd find you."

Victor Frankenstein, known in Storybrooke as Dr. Whale, stood up from his cot and walked to the bars of the cell that had been his home since his attack on Regina. "It's about time you showed up."

"Have they figured out who you are?" Cora demanded, ignoring the man's snide greeting.

"They don't have a clue." Whale said with a smirk.

"I don't see why you look so pleased." Cora scolded.

"Don't let my living arrangements fool you." Whale said. "I've upheld my end of things. Did you bring it?"

Cora pulled a small box from inside her cloak and opened it. Inside was a glowing red heart.

A dark twisted smile curled Whale's lips. "Perfect."

* * *

Leaning against her car outside of the school Regina waited on Henry and Lucy to finish their school day. She'd finished early at town hall helping James with the budges and thought it would be nice to pick up the kids so they could all meet Emma at Granny's during her break. There was a soft smile on Regina's lips as she stood there waiting. The last few weeks had been better then she could have ever expected, and Regina was starting to show a little more of a softer side even around those who weren't her children or Emma. Not that she had gone completely soft. One of Regina's favorite games was to see if she could still make people recoil with a simple look.

"Regina."

Jumping at the sound of the voice Regina looked around for whoever had called her. The voice had sounded familiar but she couldn't quite place it, and she didn't see anyone around. When the school bell rang and the sound of children stampeding out into the schoolyard caught her attention Regina just shrugged it off and turned to look for her children. She smiled as first Henry and then Lucy ran over to her and then helped them climb into the back of her Mercedes.

The second time she heard the voice call her name she was alone in her office at the stables and that's when she realized it sounded like Daniel's voice. It was the oddest thing to find herself suddenly thinking of Daniel outside of his connection to their daughter. At one time not to long ago he would have always been on her mind, he had been her driving motivation for everything she'd done, but these days she had other things, other people driving her actions. She had her children and she had Emma. Maybe that's why he was on her mind. She and Emma were moving forward in their relationship. Emma and Henry spent more time at Regina's than they did Emma's apartment, they didn't bother hiding the fact that when Emma stayed she slept in Regina's room, and though it wasn't an official move in there were several leather jackets in Regina's closest these days, and her dresser drawers were full of jeans and tank tops.

For the first time since Daniel Regina was seeing a future where she was happy with a family and someone she loved. Someone, she had to admit, she loved in way she hadn't loved Daniel. She had loved Daniel, she'd loved him with all her heart and he had given her something beyond wonderful, but she had a connection with Emma that was just so much more. As she sat there thinking about him, she slowly began to realize that Daniel had been more of a first love, and that she had mistaken young love for true love, which was so very easy to do because in a way young love, first love, which was wrapped up in the innocence of youth, was a form of true love. But what she had with Emma, what she was starting to really realize, was that the kind of true love she'd told Snow about all those many years ago. Was it the guilt she felt over Daniel that was making her think she was hearing his voice? Him being on her mind so much had led her to finally talking to Lucy about her father, so it wasn't such a bad thing, but it was a little unsettling all the same.

Stepping out of the drugstore with the things she'd needed to pick up Regina started walking down the street towards Emma's office. As she passed the alley between the bakery and the butcher she heard her name, his voice, and her head turned towards the alley. Regina's eyes went wide in shock and horror. Standing at the other end in the livery she had him buried in was Daniel. She blinked and when she opened her eyes he was gone, but her heart still raced in her chest.

"Hey you." Emma said as she came up behind her girlfriend.

Regina jumped, a startled yelp passing over her lips as she whirled around to find Emma standing there.

"Whoa, you ok?" Emma asked as she took in the terrified look on Regina's face.

It took a moment for Regina to shake the feeling that had come over her. She looked into the alley again; it was empty, and then back at Emma. "I'm fine."

"Mmhmm." Emma replied, not believing her. "I knew going to Ruby's horror movie night at the dinner was a bad idea."

"Emma, I'm fine." Regina said as she wrapped her arm around Emma's. "I thought I was meeting you at the office?"

"Whale was annoying me. I can't wait until the new work camp out at the mines is finished so I can get him out of my space." Emma admitted. "I called in the nightshift and left early."

Regina's eyes lit up a little. "You're off early, I'm finished for the day, and the kids are with your mother until dinner. Hmmm, whatever will we do with several free hours?"

"You're car or mine?" Emma asked with a matching grin. The look Regina gave her made Emma laugh. The woman still refused to ride in Emma's bug. "Yours it is."

A few days later Regina was driving home in another rainstorm. Stopping at a light she scanned the area to see if anyone was crazy enough to be out on a night like this and that's when she saw him again. Standing under a lamp in the same clothes sopping wet and glaring at her was Daniel. Getting out of her car she stood there staring at him. "Daniel?" She said softly as she moved towards him, but then there was a flash of lightening and he was gone again. She looked for him in the pouring rain but he was gone. What was going on? Why was she hearing him and now seeing him? Turning on her heel she went to look where she'd originally seen Daniel only to turn right into a board chest.

"Regina?" Jefferson asked as his arm went around the woman automatically. "What are you doing out here?"

Dark eyes darted around looking for a ghost before finally looking up to see concern on Jefferson's face. She hadn't seen that look on his face in so long but she was to shaken to fully take it in. "I think I'm loosing my mind."

"Well madness is hereditary." Jefferson teased.

Regina pulled back to look up at him with a glare.

"What's wrong?" He asked more gently. "What's going on Regina?"

"I thought I saw Daniel." Regina admitted softly.

Jefferson looked down at her, really looked into her eyes before saying, "Regina."

"I told you." Regina said as she began to shiver from the rain. "I'm loosing my mind."

"Maybe not." Jefferson said gently.

Regina once again looked up at him with a glare. "What?"

"Come on." Jefferson said as he guided her back towards her forgotten car. "Lets get you out of the rain."

* * *

_He watched her from a distance. He couldn't risk being seen by Cora. He had never in their lives seen Regina so sad, so lost, or so broken. She had sent him a message, she needed him, and he came as quickly as he could. He'd helped her bury the stable boy, her stable boy, her Daniel. He saw it every time he looked at her, the love she had for Daniel. He could see it now as he watched her weeping through her window. He couldn't stand seeing her hurting so badly, it broke his heart, there had to be something he could do, a way to help her. _

_There had been stories of a man, a man who could bring people back from the dead. If he could find this man maybe he could bring Daniel back to Regina. He could give her back her heart and keep her from being forced into a loveless marriage with the King. He hated doing it, he hated going to him, but if anyone would know about this man it would be Rumplestiltskin. _

_He was sitting at his spinning wheel, his head jerking at the sound of someone walking in. "Well, well, isn't it the prodigal son." _

"_I'm not your son." Jefferson said coldly. _

_Rumplestiltskin pounced to his feet and turned towards the young man with a twisted grin. "Oh, that's right you're the son of…" _

"_I'm here for Regina." Jefferson said cutting him off. "Cora's killed the man she loves. I've heard stories of a man who can bring the dead back to life. Do you know him?" _

"_Nasty twisted business dealing with the dead." Rumple said with an overly exaggerated shudder. "Takes a nasty twisted man to do it." _

"_So your friends than?" Jefferson asked as he stood there staring at the insane man. _

"_Don't know the man." Rumple said as he voice dropped from the high pitch he normally used when tormenting someone to something much lower, much darker. "And you shouldn't know him either. Let it be." _

"_She's in pain!" Jefferson barked at him. "If I can do something to help I will!" _

"_We're all in pain dearie." Rumple replied. "It's what we do with that pain that makes us or breaks us." _

"_Well it's breaking her." Jefferson spat out. "I have to fix it!" _

"_Why?" Rumple asked. _

_Jefferson glared. "You know why." _

_They stood there glaring at each other for several minutes. "Frankenstein." Rumple finally said. "Apparently his name is Victor Frankenstein." Jefferson nodded and turned to leave but just before the boy walked out Rumple warned, "If he can do what they say, the thing he brings back won't be her stable boy, he'll be something dark and twisted and dangerous." _

_Jefferson paused, he heard what was said but could he trust it? He didn't reply to Rumple's warning he simply left. He looked for this man, this Victor Frankenstein, but he just couldn't seem to find him. _

* * *

Storming into the pawnshop Jefferson walked up to Gold and grabbed him by the lapels. "Is he here?"

"I was wondering if you'd come to see me." Gold said with fake affection. "I did raise you after all."

"You paid a woman to raise me." Jefferson replied while he gave Gold a shake. "Is he here?" He demanded again. "The man I asked you about after Regina's stable boy was killed. Is he here?"

"What do you know about early cinema? I do enjoy a classic horror film." Gold replied as he stared into Jefferson's eyes.

Regina stood in the center of the paddock turning in a slow circle as she held the long training led that was attached to the horse her daughter was riding. She'd almost called off the lesson. She was still feeling really shaken up about seeing Daniel and finding out what Jefferson had done, or tried to do. She wasn't sure if she was touched by the gesture or angrier then she'd ever been with him. Would she have agreed? Even if it had meant bringing back something dark and twisted, would she have agreed to let this mad man bring Daniel back?

Shaking off her thoughts because there was no point dwelling on them she focused on her little girl, their little girl, who looked as if she belonged in a saddle. "That's it sweetheart but let loose on the reins a little. You've made her a little to tense. That's better."

At the end of the lesson Regina had her arm around Lucy's shoulder and was smiling proudly as they led the horse back to the first stable building, the only one of the three with horses in it. She was praising her girl, and Lucy was beaming from it. Something caught Regina's eye and it made her look up and over towards the last stable, the one furthest from everything. She barely managed not to gasp. "Lucy, I need to check on something. Get Pepper tethered up and start on her grooming, and I'll come help in moment."

"Ok Momma." Lucy said as she took the reins from her mother and starting walking the horse back to the stable.

When she got to the building Daniel was no longer standing by the door so she carefully walked inside. Her body trembled with each step. Her heart jumped as she passed each empty stall. Five stalls in she noticed the door was open. She crept closer, her breath trapped in her lungs as she peered inside. Regina gasped; her eyes went wide, her hands flying to her mouth before dropping as she whispered, "Daniel?"

"What have you done Regina?" Daniel asked after a long moment of just standing there staring at her. "What have you turned into?"

Regina shook her head and took a step back as he took a step forward. "No, no, you're gone Daniel, you're dead."

"And you're a monster!" Daniel yelled as he charged her.

Before she understood what was happening, before her thoughts could catch up with the actions, Regina found herself pressed up against the wall, Daniel's forearm pressing against her throat. He was real, he was alive, but as she looked into his eyes all she saw was darkness. This wasn't Daniel this was just his shell, controlled, and manipulated by something beyond dark. And yet she couldn't help the strangled, "Daniel, please." That passed her lips as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"You're evil." Daniel growled. "You're evil and twisted, Regina, a monster, and you did it all in my name. How could you taint me like that?"

"Daniel, please." She begged. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Daniel, please."

He barely stopped his car before jumping out of it. "Regina!" Jefferson yelled as he ran first to her office only to find it empty. "Regina!" He called out again as he searched the stables. The first one had an unattended horse but no Regina. The second building was empty, but then he saw them, the monster and Regina. Jefferson charged, knocking Daniel off Regina. She slid to the floor while he fought the beast. Once he had Daniel pinned under him Jefferson drew a dagger, raised it high, and brought down with all his might but Daniel disappeared in a cloud of dark smoke, the dagger lodging in the ground. Scurrying to his feet Jefferson looked around but saw only Regina crumpled in a heap. He rushed to her, checking her over and then scooping her up into his arms. Regina put her arm around his neck and buried her face in his chest. Then her head snapped up, her eyes three times their normal size. "Lucy! Jefferson where's Lucy!"

Emma was sitting at her desk in the sheriff's office when Regina came rushing in. Before the brunette even opened her mouth she knew something was wrong. There was bruising on her neck, her eyes puffy and red from crying, and the pure fear, the utter terror in her lover's eyes made Emma's heart stop. "Regina?"

"Emma!" Regina said as she rushed towards the blonde. "She's missing! Someone has her!"

"Who?" Emma asked as she looked from Regina to Jefferson. "What's going on?"

"Lucy." Regina said. "Emma, someone has Lucy!"

Emma's arms went around Regina, as she demanded, "Tell me what the hell happened!"

"I know who Whale is." Jefferson began. "And I know who his new monster is."


	13. Chapter 13

Just when she was getting use to fairytale charters being real, Emma found herself facing the fact that characters like Dr. Frankenstein were real too. Not only was he real he was here in Storybrooke and he'd reanimated the corpse of her lover's dead first love. Emma was starting to wonder if she would ever have a normal life again, but it was a fleeting thought. She had more important things to worry about. Lucy was missing. If Whale had her little girl she was going to kill him and no one was going to be able to stop her. Lucy might have been Regina's daughter by birth but she was as much Emma's little girl as Henry was Regina's son. They'd become a family since Emma's return from Fairytale Land and she wasn't about to let anyone mess with her family.

After hearing Jefferson's side of things and talking to Regina who was quickly shifting from frightened and panicked to royally pissed off, Emma called Granny's to tell Ruby to bring Henry back to the station. She'd just sent him down there for cocoa and grill cheese. Then she called the mines. The news wasn't good. Several of the dwarves had been knocked out and Whale was gone. She called her parents and just as she was hanging up with her mother Ruby walked in looking about as well off as Regina had minutes before. "Ruby?"

"Henry never showed up at the dinner." Ruby said as gently as she could.

It was panic and fear that made Regina throw out her arm, sending Ruby crashing into the wall, and holding her there with magic. "What do you mean he never showed up?"

"Regina." Emma said a little sharply. "Let her go!"

Regina continued to hold Ruby magically while the young woman struggled. "What the hell Regina!"

Emma put her hands on Regina's shoulders. "You know Rudy doesn't have them, but she can help us, Regina. Let her go."

It took a moment but Emma's voice finally reached her and Regina let go of Ruby, setting her down gently before completely withdrawing her magic. She had been right about her magic returning when she and Emma became intimate, but it wasn't the same, it didn't feel the same, and it didn't look the same, it was more of a silvery blue these days. It wasn't as strong either and using that little bit against Ruby had left her lightheaded. Turning to look into Emma's eyes, fear filling her own, she said, "Someone has them, Emma. Someone has our children."

"I know." Emma said as she held Regina's face in her hands. "We'll find them. I promise you we'll find them." Turning to Ruby she asked if the young woman was all right and Ruby nodded. She looked at Regina with sympathy rather than anger and that touched Emma more then Ruby could know. Then Emma turned to Jefferson. "What the hell do you have to do with any of this?"

"I wouldn't harm Henry or Lucy." Jefferson replied.

"You didn't have any issues kidnapping me and my mother." Emma said as she advanced on him. "And there's no love lost between you and Regina."

Jefferson snorted. "There's a lot of love lost between me and Regina. You don't know a damn thing about me and Regina. I would never hurt her children."

"Why not?" Emma asked. "You've had no issues with hurting her before. You're the one who let Belle out and sent her to Gold, and that made Gold send the Wraith after her. Why wouldn't you use her children to get to her?"

"Same reason she and I can't actually bring ourselves to kill each other." Jefferson replied. "And I didn't know he'd use a Wraith, I had no idea he even had one." There was a flicker of emotion in his eyes that Emma couldn't place.

Regina put her hand on Emma's arm. "It wasn't Jefferson."

"He just happened to be there in time to save you from FrankenDaniel?" Emma asked as she looked between then two.

"I went looking for her after talking to Gold about Whale." Jefferson explained.

Emma was about two seconds from pulling her hair out, or Jefferson's, the latter would be more satisfying. Inside she was just as freaked out as Regina but she knew freaking out wouldn't find Henry and Lucy. "So Gold knew? He knew about Whale?"

"He worked it out." Jefferson answered.

Once James and Snow arrived, joining them and Granny who'd come after Red called, they worked out something of a plan. Granny's senses might not be as sharp as Red's because of age but they were still better than normal. They broke off into teams, with Emma and Regina heading to the hospital. Jefferson was meant to go with them but he slipped away which didn't help Emma's view of him. Something about him, something about him and Regina, was pricking at her like a rash.

Down deep in the bowels of the hospital they found it. The most gruesome thing Emma had ever seen; Whale's lab. Emma watched as Regina walked over to a glass coffin, placing a shaking hand on the glass. "I don't understand." Regina said softly. "I didn't bring him over." She meant Whale. Like her father's remains, she had brought Daniel over, she couldn't leave the only two people who'd loved her and never given up on her behind. "I didn't even know of him. How did this sick man get here?"

"We'll figure it out baby." Emma said softly as she put her hands on Regina's upper arms. "And he'll pay for everything he's done, I promise."

"I've never done anything to him." Regina said as she turned to look at Emma. "Why is he doing this? Why use my first love against me? Why take my children?" Her eyes went a little wider. "What if he comes for you next?"

"I can take care of myself." Emma reassured. "We'll find them, Regina, and we'll get our answers. We just need to focus."

Regina nodded and then looked into Emma's eyes as she said, "I can't promise I won't…"

"I know." Emma said as she brushed the back of her fingers over Regina's cheek. "But if I get my hands on him you won't get the chance to go all evil queen on him. If he does anything to my kids this town will see how dark their white knight can get."

* * *

Standing in the doorway of the room Cora watched the children as they slept. It was a magical sleep but they looked peaceful nonetheless. Closing the door behind her she locked it and then headed back downstairs. By now they would know the children were missing and she could only imagine the reactions. "Do you have children, Victor?"

"No." Whale said with a pained look. "My wife died before we could have any."

"They can be such ungrateful brats." Cora said as she walked over to perch on the sofa while she poured herself some tea. "You do everything in your power to make sure they have good lives, power, position, wealth, and what do they do? They stab you in the back. For that they must be punished."

"So why'd you take the other one?" Whale asked. "The one that isn't Regina's?"

Cora smiled. "Like I said, Victor, children can be so ungrateful and sometimes their lessons must be rather harsh."

Whale just looked at her oddly. That made no sense. Then again this was a woman who managed to slip him into this world for the sole purpose of creating one of his monsters using the remains of her daughter's dead boyfriend, who she'd killed in the first place. People had called him mad but he had nothing on Cora. At least his madness was driven by the loss of his wife; the only thing that drove Cora was greed and pure evil.

"I need one more favor, Victor." Cora said as she stood and walked over to him. "I need you to give Regina a message." She smiled sweetly at the man before punching her hand into his chest and yanking out his heart. Whale gasped, he cried out in pain and looked at her with shocked and angry eyes. "Be a dear and let her know that her mother's in town."

* * *

An hour or so later everyone was in the mayor's office at town hall looking over maps and working out larger search teams. Red and Granny both felt horrible because they'd turned up nothing. Charming had come up empty as far as Gold was concerned. He had his own issues apparently and didn't feel like elaborating. They were in the middle of making a list of places to look when Jefferson burst into the room. He grabbed Regina, forcing her to look at him. "Grace. Grace is missing."

Regina's eyes went wide as she hissed. "No. No, Jefferson, no one knows!"

"He knows!" Jefferson growled.

"Charming's already checked him out." Regina said. "He doesn't have them."

Emma stepped up, shoving Jefferson away from Regina before glaring at both of them. "Ok, what the hell is going on with you two?"

"Whoever's taken Henry and Lucy has taken Grace as well." Regina answered softly.

"Why?" Emma asked. "No other children are missing. Why take Grace if this is about you? What does she have in common with Henry and Lucy?"

Before Emma could get an answer the doors opened again and Whale stumbled in, clutching his chest. He staggered over to Regina, falling to his knees. Everyone watched in stunned silence as Whale laughed. "I made it work. I brought him back."

"I know." Regina said as she grabbed him, hauling him to his feet. "I saw him. How? Why?"

"Just needed a heart." Whale said and than laughed a laugh that sent chills down everyone's spin. "Still need a heart." He thumped himself in the chest.

"I gave all mine back." Regina hissed. "My vault is empty. Where did you get a heart?"

Whale smiled. "Where do you think?" His smile brightened. "Cora sends her love."

Regina gasped and let him go. She took a step away from him as he crumpled to the floor. Her mother? Her mother was here? Turning to look at Emma she said, "She has them. Cora has them."

Crouching down Emma grabbed hold of Whale. "Where is she? Where the hell is Cora?"

Whale writhed in pain as Cora crushed his heart in her hands. His body went limp, his last breath shuttering from his body, he whispered his wife's name.

* * *

The fear that washed over Lucy as she woke up to find herself in a strange place made the girl cry out a soft whimper. Her eyes darted around the room, wondering where she was and who she was with, and why had they taken her. She remembered being in the stables with Pepper and than feeling suddenly very sleepy. Lucy gasped softly. She remembered that feeling, she remembered all to well the feeling of that particular magic. No, that was impossible, she couldn't be here! Could she?

"Grandmother?" Lucy whispered.

"Right here my darling." Cora said as she moved towards the girl she'd separated from the others.

Frightened tears welled in Lucy's eyes. She shook her head and tried to scurry away. "No, no, you can't be here!"

Cora looked hurt, and not even she knew if she were faking it or not. "Aren't you happy to see me Cordelia?"

"Where's my Mother?" Lucy demanded.

"Don't worry darling." Cora cooed. "She can't harm you now."

Lucy blinked, looking confused. "Harm me? She could never harm me! She's my mother! You keep us away from each other! The only one who's ever harmed me is you!"

Cora pretended to look hurt. "No, darling, that isn't what happened. I saved you."

"Saved me?" Lucy replied. "From what?"

"From her." Cora answered. "Oh Cordelia, I hoped never to have to tell you this. Regina is the Evil Queen. She destroyed our lands, she brought all these people here, she's done despicable things, she's…"

"Changed." Lucy cut in. "I know who she was, I know who you turned her into. I heard people whispering, I've seen the way they look at her, I'm ten I'm not stupid. That person, the one who did all that stuff, that isn't who she is now."

Cora could feel her anger bubbling up. She'd been banking on her ability to turn Lucy against Regina. When the girl got up, when she realized she was about to use magic, she said, "I wouldn't do that Cordelia." With a wave of her hand she brought Henry and Grace from the bedroom, binding them with rope to the chairs she put them in. "You wouldn't want to leave them behind would you?"

"Henry!" Lucy said with a gasp. "Grace?"

"If you don't wish any harm to come to them, Cordelia, I'd be a good girl." Cora warned.

The glare Lucy gave her grandmother made her look every inch Regina's daughter. She moved closer to her brother without taking her eyes off Cora.

"Good, I'm glad we see eye to eye on this." Cora said. "Now, I have some thing to take care of. Do be a good girl for the sitter."

When Daniel stepped into the room Lucy's eyes went wide. She'd seen drawings of him, she knew who he was. "Father?"

* * *

Regina looked over the maps of Storybrooke as if glaring at them would make them tell their secrets, and after a while they did. "Here." She pointed to a place on the map that was as far east as they could go. "There."

Emma looked at the map and then up at her lover. "How can you be sure?"

"My mother would be twisted enough to stay in caretaker's cottage of the old mill." Regina answered.

"Which means she'd expect us to find it." Snow offered. "We'll have to be careful."

Regina looked up at her former nemesis. She knew Snow was doing this for Emma and Henry, maybe even Lucy, and not for her but she was grateful just the same.

While they made their rescue plans Emma pulled Ruby asaid. "Ruby… Ya know what never mind, I can't ask."

"You don't want Regina having to deal with Daniel." Red said gently. Reaching up to finger the red pendant she was wearing Red simply gave Emma a nod. Wearing a red hooded cloak didn't really fit in Storybrooke, so Regina had charmed the necklace for her after Emma had asked if there were a way she could help. "I'll handle it."

Emma gave her friend a thankful smile.

Snow was watching Regina carefully. She was seeing bits of the old Regina, the one from when they'd first met. When Regina had begged her not to tell Cora about Daniel she hadn't understood the fear in the older girl's eyes. She understood it better now. She hadn't meant to be the cause of his death but she had been. It was time to set things right. "I still don't understand how Cora got here."

"It's really very simple dear Snow." Cora said as she magically materialized in front of everyone. "I came the same way your darling Emma did."

Regina whirled around and for the first time since sending her mother through the mirror she found herself face to face with the woman. Her blood ran cold, fear and anger bubbled up inside. She stepped away from Emma who'd rushed to her side, away from what anchored her to the light, and towards what had sunk her into the dark.

"Hello Regina." Cora said.

"Mother." Regina greeted. They stared at each other for a moment and then Regina threw up her arms. She used every ouch of magic she had, sending Cora flying through the air, across the room and into the wall. She was about to strike again but Cora's power was stronger and this time Regina was the one sent flying.

"You all should probably understand something." Cora said as she threw up her hand to stop Snow who'd been moving towards her while using the other hand to take the gun from Emma's hand. "If anything happens to me, well, I can't be sure Daniel won't harm the children. He isn't quite right in the head these days."

"What do you want Mother?" Regina demanded as Jefferson helped her to her feet.

"What we all want darling." Cora answered. "My happy ending." She moved towards them, Regina tried to back away but Cora caught her magically. She smiled sweetly as she cupped Regina's face. "We almost had it you and I but then you disappointed me, Regina. You let it all slip through your fingers." Stepping back she backhanded Regina so hard Regina fell to her knees.

"Regina!" Emma cried out as she surged forward but Cora wrapped her magic around her, stopping her.

Crouching so she was eye to eye with her daughter Cora said, "Give me what I need to fix your kingdom, to fix our land, and I'll give you back your precious son," Her gaze flicked over to Jefferson. "And his bastard child."

When Jefferson tried to rush her he found himself just as immobile as the others.

"And Lucy?" Regina asked. "My daughter. You told me she was dead!"

"Your land will need a queen." Cora said. "And Cordelia is your heir."

The anger and fear in Regina let her break free of her mother's magic. A dark flicker in her eyes showed Cora just how far Regina had been pushed. Cora cried out as Regina's hand sank into her chest but before Regina could get a hold on her heart the old woman disappeared in a cloud of magic. That surge of magic to reach into her mother's chest was all Regina had left. With her empty hand bunched into a fist she passed out, dropping to the floor before anyone could reach her.

"Regina!" Emma cried and as soon as she felt free of Cora's magic she went running to her love. "Regina?" She said, picking Regina up and cradling her. "Regina?"

"Can't let her take…" Regina said softly.

"We won't." Emma promised. "Baby, we won't. We'll get them back. All of them."


	14. Chapter 14

She sat there close to her brother and his friend Grace watching the man across the room. He looked just like the drawings her mother had shown her. She would have believed that her grandmother had lied to her again when she'd said her father had died, but her mother had told her the same thing. She didn't know the details, her mother could never bring herself to tell Lucy how he died, but the sadness in her mother's eyes, the quiver in her voice told her that Daniel was dead. Yet there he stood watching them like a hired goon. How could he work for her grandmother? She knew enough to know that she would have tried to keep her parents apart. She knew her grandmother well enough to know she would never let Regina marry a stable boy when she in Cora's mind she was meant to be queen.

"You look like him." Lucy said softly, causing Daniel to look at her. "But you're not him. There's something off about you." Daniel simply glared at her with an unreadable face. "I wish I'd known you, well, him, my father." She had his attention now. "Momma says he was smart. He was just a stable boy but he was really good with animals, not just the horses. He nursed her favorite dog back to health once."

Getting up from where she'd been sitting Lucy moved closer to the man who was her father on the outside but there was something missing on the inside. "Momma says he was kind too. He was patient with her, he never pushed her about telling her parents about them even though he wanted her too."

"She lied to them." Daniel said. "I was her dirty little secret."

"She was afraid." Lucy argued. "With good reason, my grandmother's nuts! She brought you back to torment my mother, her daughter. That's sick! She told her I died, she told me the same thing, she let me believe it was my fault." There was a quiver in the girl's voice; she stood stone still until she was sure she could speak without that happening again. After several minutes she looked at Daniel and smiled. "You picked my name, well, my father did. Not Cordelia, that's what Grandmother calls me, but my real name, the one Momma gave me. Lucy. It means…"

"Light." Daniel said. "It means light. A little girl to light up her eyes."

Lucy smiled. "Momma's eyes are really pretty when they light up."

While she was talking Lucy's right hand had been behind her back, her fingers wiggling, a faint rose pink magic swirling around her brother and Grace. The ropes binding them dropped to the floor as they stirred from their magical sleep. To keep him distracted Lucy asked, "Why are you different? Why aren't you my father?"

He took her left hand and pressed it to his chest. "Not my heart."

"What happened to your heart?" Lucy asked.

"She crushed it." Daniel replied.

"Who?" Lucy asked.

"Regina." Daniel growled.

"That's not true." Henry said as he stood up and quickly moved to protect his sister. "It wasn't our Mom. It was Cora."

* * *

She barraged into the place like she owned it. It was clear that her mother's powers were stronger, more stable than hers and Regina knew that if they were going to get the children back safely they needed a way to combat that. This meant seeking help from the person who'd given Cora powers in the first place. "Rumple!" She called out as she made her way through his shop. "Rumple!"

"Right here dearie." Rumple replied as he came out of the back. "No need to shout. Now what can I do for you? Make it quick. I'm having some issues of my own at the moment."

"Some thing tells me your issues are connected to my issues." Regina told the man as she glared at him softly. "My mother is in Storybrooke. She found a way to cross over and now she has my children."

Rumple frowned, "So he came over with her. Interesting."

"He who?" Regina asked.

Rumple flipped his hand at her dismissively. "Never you mind my dear. What do you want from me?"

"The loophole." Regina answered. "What is the loophole in your deal with her? How do I stop her magic?"

"What makes you think there is one?" Rumple asked as he moved around his shop as if he had something better to do.

"Because I know you." Regina answered honestly. "And there is always a loophole, normally something that benefits you."

He gave her a bit of grin. She did know him well, just as he knew her. "And why should I help you? After what you've done to me and mine?"

"Because she has Henry, Lucy, and Grace." Regina replied. "I wouldn't have come to you if this wasn't about them."

Rumple stood there for a long time just staring at Regina. For all their backstabbing and plotting and all the attempted murder there was just something between them that neither could get away from. "Destroy the book. Make sure the jewel heart is completely ruined. That will take her powers."

Regina couldn't hide the fact that she was surprised. This had been a long shot; she hadn't expected him to help her. Narrowing her eyes she asked, "How can I be sure you're not up to something?"

"I give you my word." Rumple said honestly.

She stared at him for a long moment. Somehow she knew he was telling the truth. "And what do you want in return?"

"Help with my problem if I might need it." Rumple replied.

She knew better and yet she replied, "Deal." He gave her a smile and she turned to leave but then stopped. Turning back to him she asked, "What's the loophole to my magic?"

He smiled at her almost fondly. "There isn't one. You were born with magic you weren't given it. It is yours free and clear by right of birth. That's why I wanted you but ended up with Jefferson instead. Bad luck of the draw."

"Magic for a son?" Regina asked.

"Magic for her first born." Rumple replied.

Regina nodded. As she stepped out of Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop she couldn't help but smirk. Once she was down the street, nearly reaching the car where Emma was waiting, she actually laughed.

"What's so funny? What did he say?" Emma asked as she took a few steps towards Regina to close the distance between them that much sooner.

"We need to get my mother's spell book." Regina answered, ignoring the part about what was funny. "It might be our only chance. If nothing else, it might give us a way to weaken her or barter."

Emma nodded. They drove to Regina's first where she retrieved the book and then out to the meeting point near the mill where everyone else was waiting for them. When they got there Ruby let them know she could smell the kids and for the first time since this all began both Regina and Emma took in a full breath.

"Ok," Emma said softly. "Here's the plan."

* * *

"You have magic?" Henry asked his sister while keeping an eye on Daniel who was looking through his book. After telling him what Cora did he showed him the story of the Stable Boy, which was one of the many new stories that appeared in Henry's book following the breaking of the curse.

Lucy nodded. "It only works when I'm scared or upset."

"Now's a good time to be scared." Grace said softly.

None of them knew why Grace was there. Regina's mother taking Regina's kids made sense. Taking Grace didn't because she had no connection to Regina at all, at least not one that anyone was aware of.

"In my book when the Evil Queen crashes Snow White and Prince Charming's wedding she uses magic to escape." Henry said softly. He'd been leery of saying anything about the book but Lucy told him she knew who their mother use to be, so he didn't see a reason to hide it from her now. "Can you do that?"

"I don't know." Lucy said with a sad shrug of her shoulders. "I've never tried. I don't like using magic, it scares me; she scares me."

Henry hadn't met her yet but from what he'd read in his book Cora was worthy of being scared of. Reading about his Mom and Daniel had left him feeling like a little shit. The whole time he'd been on his quest to undo the Evil Queen, he never once asked why she was evil. "Can you try?"

Fear clouded Lucy's eyes. "I can't! What if I try and something bad happens? We could reappear anywhere."

"Well this is unexpected." Cora said when she appeared in the room. "It would seem everyone is awake and unbound." She looked at Lucy pointedly. "Did you do that?"

The girl trembled as she swallowed against a dry throat and nodded her head.

"Very good Cordelia" Cora said with a smile. "Your powers must be getting stronger if you were able to undo my sleeping spell."

Lucy blinked. That hadn't been the reaction she was expecting.

"Well," Cora said as she walked closer to the children. "Lets have a look at you two." She stalked around Henry and Grace the way a cat would its prey. "It does an old woman's heart good to see that her grandchildren are strong and so full of potential. A grandson, how splendid, but what a shame you have no blood ties to my darling Regina. Though I suppose we can use your connection to Snow, Charming and the Savior. Tell me dear, who's your father? Is he from good stock?" Her eyes flicked from Henry to Grace. "Oh I do hope he's from a better background than your mother. Honestly what did Jefferson ever see in that pathetic girl, that ridiculous Alice."

"My Mama wasn't pathetic or ridiculous!" Grace said in an angry huff. "How do you know her? How do you know my Papa?"

Cora waved a hand dismissively at the girl. "Jefferson was Rumple's concern. If he was fine with letting the boy waste himself on that girl who was I to argue? I had Regina's best interests to look out for, and now I have her daughter's." Turning away from the children all together Cora called out, "Daniel!" Sparing a glance at Lucy she asked, "Did you enjoy your time with your father dear?" When Daniel appeared Cora ordered, "Take Henry and Grace to the stables. Bind them and leave them in separate stalls. Then start the fire in Regina's office. That should keep everyone busy enough for Lucy and I to cross back over to our lands with the spell Regina's bringing."

"No!" Lucy yelled as she placed herself between the adults and Henry and Grace. "Grandmother you can't!"

"Watch your tone child!" Cora scolded as she wrapped Lucy in a prickly spell and squeezed. "I do not wish to use a harsher form of correction with you dear but I will if I have too." Lucy whimpered in pain. "You will be queen and you will be stronger than your mother was."

"I was strong enough to get rid of you once, Mother." Regina said as she, Emma, and Jefferson appeared in the room. "I'll be strong enough to do it again."

"Papa!" Grace called out. She tried to run to him but Cora wrapped her and Henry in magic, lifting them off the ground.

"Put them down!" Jefferson demanded.

Cora ignored him. "Have you brought what I asked for?"

"You don't seem very surprised to see us?" Emma said as she her eyes darted around the room, sword in hand.

"I knew Regina would know where to find me." Cora said smugly. "Now dear, the spell?" She held out her hand as if she really thought Regina would give her what she wanted. "Lucy and I really should be getting home."

When Regina raised her hand it wasn't a spell or potion she was holding but Cora's spell book. "I have to admit I'm impressed that you were able to pull one over on Rumple. Thing is, he's always one step ahead of most." Regina smiled as she felt Emma's fingers lace with hers. They still had no idea why Emma acted as jumper cables to Regina's magic but now wasn't a time to try and answer the question.

The book in Regina's hand caught fire and Cora just stared at it unimpressed. "My spell book? Dear girl what do you expect to do by burning my…"

The magic holding the children in place weakened. Lucy was able to use her own magic to break the spell on herself, sending her crashing to the floor. She threw out her hand and caught Henry and Grace before they could fall. Grace ran to Jefferson and Henry made his way to Emma. Lucy was about to dash for her mother but Cora wouldn't give up easily.

"What have you done?" Cora gasped as she felt her magic pulling away from her. "Regina! What have you done!?" When she caught sight of Lucy out of the corner of her eye she used what magic she had to grab the girl. "Stop it! Regina, stop it! Stop it or I'll kill her like I should have before she'd been born! I'll smoother her like I should have that night I said she died!"

Lucy gasped. The magic had engulfed her whole body and Cora was slowly cutting off her air. Regina was torn; it shone brightly in her eyes. Could she finish destroying the book before Cora killed Lucy? She couldn't take that chance!

From the far side of the room Daniel had watched it all. A surge of hate and anger rushed through his body at the sight of Regina, he'd been ready to attack, but then Lucy had fallen to the floor. He watched as Regina produced the book, set it ablaze, and he saw the fear and love in her eyes when Cora grabbed their daughter. Their daughter, their light, Lucy who lit up Regina's dark eyes like stars in the night. He charged at Cora, knocking her to the floor, "Let her go!" He growled. "Let my daughter go!"

Regina stood there completely stunned, unable to do anything but let the book burn.

Lucy fell once again to the floor as Cora's magic grew ever weaker, and her concentration lost due to her struggle with Daniel. Emma rushed to her, pulling her into the safety of her arms, just as backup arrived. Snow, Charming, Red and Granny came in just in time to hear a loud painful roar. Daniel staggered to his feet, a dagger in his stolen heart.

"No!" Lucy cried out. "Father!" Her attention was drawn from Daniel to her grandmother who was getting to her own feet, she saw Cora getting ready to raise her arms, but she was younger, quicker, stronger. Lucy threw up her arms and throw out magic with the intent of making her grandmother go away, and in a cloud of dark rose pink magic Cora was gone. Tearing away from Emma Lucy ran to Daniel just as he sank to his knees. "Father?"

Daniel shook his head. "I'm not…"

"Of course you are." Lucy said softly, sadly. "You protected me and that's what father's do." Tear filled eyes shot up to the others in the room. "Help him! Please help him!"

They would try but it was to late. For the second time in her life Regina watched her first love die because of her mother. Lucy who'd wanted so badly to know him would have only tainted memories of him.

"I'm so glad your both ok." Regina said softly as she hugged her children as if she would never let them go. She knew Lucy wasn't ok but she was strong and they could get through this.

"Lucy." Emma said gently. "What did you do to Cora?"

"I sent her away." Lucy answered.

"Where?" Regina asked.

Lucy shrugged. "Just away, I just wanted her gone and she was gone."

Emma and Regina shared a look. Cora was still out there.

"We'll find her." Charming said with confidence. "You two get those two home. Jefferson and Grace are already gone."

"Of course they are." Emma said with a roll of her eyes. "Come on, Gramps is right, lets get you two home."

* * *

Regina had burned the book to ash but in the drama and excitement of the moment she'd forgotten to crush the jewel heart. Cora appeared in a cloud of magic, still sopping wet from where Lucy had dumped her in the lake. She shifted through the ash to find the jewel and smiled. Her magic was weak, barely there, but as long as she had the jewel heart she'd have just enough. Regina had been one disappointment after another and all she wanted to do was give her the world. Well, if Regina wouldn't accept the world Cora offered than she would take the world Regina had created for herself instead.


	15. Chapter 15

After everything that had happened Regina didn't know how she was suppose to relax. Her mother was still out there somewhere, Lucy was having nightmares just about every night, Henry had become clingy, some thing he had never been before, and despite all of that Emma had insisted they go out for the evening simply because it was Regina's birthday. She had been told by her lover that she needed to stop hovering over the children and that everyone in town was looking for Cora so it was only a matter of time before they found her, and that for one night she needed to just take a breath, relax, and enjoy the blessings in her life. But how was she suppose to enjoy a romantic dinner with Emma at Remy's followed by cake, ice cream and presents at Granny's with her children after what she'd done? Regina had been a real mess when she realized that in the aftermath of watching Daniel die again, this time in the arms of their ten-year-old daughter, she had forgotten the heart shaped jewel Rumple had said needed to be destroyed along with the book. When she and Emma had gone back the jewel was gone. How was she supposed to enjoy her birthday when her mother lurked in the darkness with a flicker of magic?

But Emma was Emma and in the end Regina found herself getting dressed for a night out. So there she was in a navy and silver lace v-neck Tadashi Shoji fresh out of the box from Bloomingdale's doing her best to smile and enjoy the quiet and very romantic meal at Remy's with Emma, who she had to admit looked beautiful in a tailored light grey pant suit. She wasn't sure when or how it happened but as Regina sat there at the small candle lit table with Emma so close she could feel her body heat, she slowly began to relax and enjoy the evening. Emma whispered in her ear and she laughed softly. She leaned in close and chastely pressed her lips to Emma's. She smiled seductively as she used her index finger to spread a hint of cream sauce over Emma's bottom lip before kissing her not so chastely. It was perfect and for the first time since hearing Daniel's voice again Regina wasn't filled with dread or pain or sorrow. She was happy.

"See," Emma said as they walked close together down the sidewalk heading towards Granny's. "I knew you'd enjoy yourself if you just relaxed a little bit."

"Are you expecting a, yes dear you were right, from me?" Regina teased as she tightened the hold she had on Emma's arm. "Because if you are you will be waiting awhile."

Emma laughed and used the few moments they had waiting on a streetlight to steal a kiss.

Truthfully they had both felt really apprehensive about leaving the kids after what happened but they knew they couldn't keep hovering over them all the time. That wouldn't help Henry or Lucy, so they left them in the care of the people they trusted the most, Snow, James, and the Lucas ladies. Emma took reassurance from knowing her parents would protect Henry and Lucy while Regina took reassurance that Red would turn into a wolf and eat anyone who tried to mess with the pups as she called them. Lucy wasn't thrilled with the idea of being away from her mother but Snow reassured her that everyone would be fine for a few hours. Red promised cake.

There had been a slow change happening with some people as far as Regina was concerned. A seed of forgiveness was planted within James when she brought his wife and daughter home, a bit of non-judgment from Red who had her own dark past, a flicker of understanding and compassion from Granny after finding out who her mother was. Hell even Grumpy felt sympathy for her after finding out about having Daniel forced from her life by a bitch with "good intentions" though comparing the Blue Fairy to Cora might have been a little overkill. But it was Snow who Regina wanted something more from, and not just because she was in love with Emma, but because once upon a time a young girl still pure and innocent of pain and hate could have so easily loved a child who simply wanted what Regina herself had never had, a loving, caring mother. If Cora had just left them alone, if Snow had just kept her secret a little bit longer, everyone could have been happy. Once they were married she and Daniel would have returned to the King, Regina would have gladly taken charge of Snow while Daniel worked in the stables. The King had no need of a wife and Regina could have been a mother to Snow without being married to the King. But Cora wouldn't allow that and destiny had had other plans.

The moment Regina walked into Granny's Dinner she was greeted with warm smiles and genuine wishes of happy birthday. She'd barely had a change to reply when she felt something, or rather someone, slam into her, wrapping arms around her and looking up at her with beautiful brown eyes.

"Happy Birthday Momma!" Lucy said with a huge smile.

"Thank you my darling." Regina replied. "Again, for the fiftieth time since I woke up this morning."

Lucy giggled. It was a sound that both Regina and Emma hadn't heard much of since the caretaker's cottage and Cora.

"Granny baked a cake!" Henry said excitedly. "We've been waiting forever for you to get here."

James chuckled at his grandson. "Henry's been eyeing it all night."

"We've had diner." Henry informed his mothers. "Can we have cake now?"

Regina laughed as she put her arm around her son's shoulders. "I don't know Henry. It's a bit late for all that sugar don't you think?"

"Mom!" Henry nearly whined. "It's a special occasion."

Regina made a show of thinking it over before finally smiling and agreeing, "Yes, we can have cake now." Her children cheered, bright smiles on their faces that lit up their eyes, and for a moment surrounded by these people and the people she loved most, it all felt so right, so normal.

"You have to blow out the candles, Regina." Ruby said as she lit several candles scattered around the round chocolate frosted cake. "We weren't sure how many to use though. None of us could figure out just how old you are."

"I'm old enough and that's all anyone needs to know." Regina replied as she stepped up to blow out the candles.

"Wait!" Lucy cried out. "Henry said there's a song!"

"Did Henry teach you the song?" Snow asked. When Lucy nodded, rather comically like a bobble head, she smile and said, "Then we'd better sing it."

At the counter of Granny's Dinner Snow White sang Happy Birthday to the Evil Queen. Emma couldn't stop laughing long enough to join in, which got her glares from both her mother and her lover.

With the cake demolished and unhealthy amounts of ice cream consumed, presents were opened. Henry, ever the bookworm, had made her a scrapbook full of all the moments the four of them had had as a family, she and Emma had had as a couple, and she'd had as a better mom. Lucy gave her a new apple tree sapling. "I grew it from the apple seeds I found in your castle." The girl explained. "Rosetta helped. She did the special graphing that'll help it grow in your orchard here."

Emma's gift had been romantic and sweet, Red's silly, Granny's practical, and Grumpy's alcoholic. Regina was feeling a little overwhelmed.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked gently as she stood close behind Regina, barley a breath between their bodies.

"Other than the little handmade gifts from Henry the last time I received a real gift for my birthday, it was from…"

"Me." Snow said softly. "The crystal apple you keep you on your desk at home."

The two looked at each other for a long moment before Regina softly said, "Snow…"

"Momma!" Lucy cut in while carrying over another wrapped present. "There's one more!"

Regina looked a little confused. She thought she'd opened everything but apparently she'd missed one. As she tore away the paper Emma asked who it was from, only than did she notice there wasn't a tag or card. The air in the room changed. Snow pulled Henry and Lucy close to her and a little further from Regina and Emma. Emma stood close to Regina as if to protect her from what lay inside. Regina opened the box slowly, jerking her hand back as if what was inside might bite her. Nestled inside were two decorative glass jars. One held ash while the other was empty. Picking up the one full of ash Regina's heart thumped painfully in her chest as the dust inside began to glow with the faint residual magic of the most innocent of true love, first love.

"What is that?" Emma asked as Regina's hands began to shake.

Regina's voice trembled. "Daniel's true heart."

"How…" Emma asked, eyes wide.

"My Mother." Regina answered. "She's sending me a message." She put the jar with the ashes of Daniel's heart in it back in the box and picked up the empty jar. "This one is meant for yours."

Before Snow had a chance to say how she felt about the prospect of Cora taking her daughter's heart she felt Lucy began to shake in a way that let her now the girl was terrified. "Lucy? Honey what's wrong?"

Lucy's eyes were wide and her heart was pounding as she raised her arm to point. Standing outside in the street stood Cora, smiling and waiting, as if she were simply about to join them in their merriment. Emma's instincts to protect Regina kicked in and before anyone could stop her she was rushing for the door.

"Emma!" Regina cried out. "No! Don't!" She ran after Emma but she wasn't quick enough. The moment Emma stepped out of Granny's Cora had her magically hovering in the air, pulling her towards her.

"You are a mother now, Regina." Cora said as she drew Emma close and set her down in front of her. Around her neck she wore the heart shaped jewel and as she used what remained of it's magic it glowed a haunting blood red. "You should understand the sacrifices a mother makes for her children. And yet you continue to be ungrateful, you continue to defy me like a spoiled child! Well, when children are naughty they are punished, they have their favorite things taken away from them."

No, no not again! Regina would not stand by and let her mother kill her true love not this time, not Emma! Rushing forward, first with her magic and then with her body, Regina shoved Emma out of Cora's reach. It all happened so quickly that Cora couldn't stop. Her hand sank into Regina's chest and when she pulled back she held her daughter's heart in her hand. Regina gasped in pain, her eyes wide as her hands clutched at her now empty chest, tears welled in her eyes and flowed freely down her cheeks as she sank to her knees.

"Regina!" Emma cried out as she got to her feet after falling from Regina's shove.

Cora was in shock but only for a moment. With her daughter's heart she could either kill her or now completely control her. She would leave the choice up to Regina. She gave the glowing, beating heart in her hand a squeeze and Regina cried out in agony. "If I can't have you darling no one will. Make your choice wisely."

Pain filled brown eyes looked up at Cora and then at her children who were being held back, shielded as best as they could manage, by Snow and James, and then over to Emma. Those eyes begged Emma as she gasped out, "Lucy, Henry, protect them, love them, remind them that…" She gasped as Cora squeezed harder. "Remind them that I loved them, that I loved you, that I choose you." Regina staggered to her feet and lurched herself at her mother but Cora squeezed again and Regina dropped to the ground with an agonizing cry.

As she watched Cora squeeze the life from Regina's glowing heart Emma wished she had a sword, she wished, preyed so hard, that a bright flash of white magic blinded all who were watching. "Hey!" Emma screamed, much the same way her own father had once screamed at Regina. "Bitch! That heart you're holding belongs to me!"

Cora only had a second to turn and look and all she saw was the light as it reflected brightly off the steel of Emma's sword just before it came down severing her hand just above the wrist. She cried out a blood-curdling scream as her hand and Regina's heart fell towards the pavement. Emma rushed forward as Cora was falling to her knees, snatching up Regina's heart and cradling it against her own chest as she used the tip of her sword to rip the heart jewel from Cora's neck. The moment it hit the ground Emma crushed it with the heel of her boot, and once again Cora cried out in a roar so full of hate and despair it drew people from their buildings.

Nearly the whole town gathered and watched the scene unfold.

Dropping to her knees beside the dying woman she loved so much Emma couldn't stop the tears as she begged, "Help me, Regina, help me! Tell me what to do!" She placed the heart on Regina's chest, picked up Regina's hand and placed it over the heart, before wrapping her own hands around both. "Regina! What do I do! How do I put it back!?"

Regina licked her dry lips and tried to speak but the light in her heart, the light in her eyes, was growing dim. She was almost gone. Cora's damage had been done.

"No!" Emma cried out. "No! Regina! Damnit tell me what to do! Please! Please! Tell me how to put it back!"

Regina lifted her free hand and brushed at Emma's wet cheek. She smiled, thanking Emma for giving her a second chance and for showing her love again. Then her eyes fluttered shut and her hand dropped back to the ground. She was gone.

"No! No! NO!" Emma wailed.

"Emma." Snow said gently as she walked over and out her hand on her daughter's shoulder. Ruby held a sobbing Lucy while James clung to his grandson. "I'm so sorry."

"No!" Emma jerked away from her mother. "No!" Her tears ran down her face, falling, splashing onto Regina's now lifeless heart. Picking up Regina's lifeless hand she pressed it to her own chest. Closing her eyes Emma thought of only one thing, their hearts, beating as one, loving as one, her heart beating for Regina's and Regina's beating for hers.

Snow went towards her daughter again but then stopped, a gasp of pure wonderment slipping past her lips.

Emma glowed with magic and it was brightest where Regina's hand rested, over Emma's heart. Slowly the magic spread from Emma to Regina, engulfing them both. Everyone watching was in awe as they watched Emma lean in and kiss Regina gently on the lips. There was a soft gasp from someone, Snow, Ruby, as they watched Regina's heart fill with light and then sink back into her chest, leaving Emma's hand resting in the same place hers was on Emma's chest. The pulse of true love's magic that burst from the pair knocked the people closest to them backwards, it was so strong that it was felt not only in all of Storybrooke but in Fairytale Land as well.

Everyone watched, waited. Even Cora, now magicless and restrained by Thomas and Jefferson, watched in complete astonishment as they all waited for that moment, that moment in the story just before happily ever after.

When Emma pulled back from Regina she held her breath until Regina's eyes snapped opened and she gasped for that first breath of air. Turning to look at Emma, Regina's brown eyes locked with Emma's green ones. Two hearts so long alone had finally found each other. Two hearts shattered, scared, and broken were healed and whole. Two hearts that now beat as one.

Regina smiled, "You saved me."

"You saved me first." Emma said with a euphoric laugh.

They shared another kiss one so full of love everyone watching could see it. A kiss ended only by the sudden collision of their children wrapping themselves around Regina's body in a hug so tight it was nearly crushing.

Turning away from the scene Snow walked over to where Cora was, she was pale and nearly done from loose of blood. "Take her to the hospital. Have her arm treated. She is to be locked up and guarded at all times. She may still have allies among us, so only those most loyal to me as guards." She ordered before lifting Cora's chin and looking her in the eyes. "You are done hurting me and mine. This town has been out for blood since it woke up. I think it'll finally get what it wants. You caused all of this, you and Rumple, and now at least you're going to pay." Jerking her head Snow ordered, "Get her out of my sight."

"Snow." Regina said hoarsely when the younger woman joined them once more.

"You gave your life for my daughter's Regina." Snow said firmly and so all could hear. "I think it's time we start working on forgives, don't you?"

Regina smiled. "Yes, yes I do."


End file.
